ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS POLICY GUIDELINES (2025)

Abstract

FOREWORD The National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) is mandated to coordinate and guide agricultural research in Uganda. Environment and natural resources are the foundation of sustainable agriculture and central to food security and socio- economic transformation. Advancing agricultural research therefore requires balancing the use of natural resources with safeguarding the environment, ecosystems, and society. Agricultural research today faces challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, resource degradation, pollution, and social inequities, which directly affect production systems, livelihoods, and national development. NARO is committed to addressing them by embedding responsible and sustainable practices into its research agenda and operations. The Environmental and Social Safeguards (ESS) Policy Guidelines were developed to provide practical direction for identifying, assessing, and managing environmental and social risks that may arise from NARO’s research programs and activities. They promote best practices that conserve ecosystems, strengthen community resilience, and foster inclusive agricultural innovation. The guidelines also ensure that environmental and social considerations are integrated into all stages of research planning, design, and implementation. Their formulation was informed by wide consultations involving NARO staff, the ESS Task Force, the Policy Management and Top Policy Committees, the NARO Governing Council, and development partners. I urge NARO management, staff, and stakeholders to apply these guidelines as a practical reference for sustainable resource use and to ensure that agricultural research innovations deliver equitable, socially inclusive, and environmentally sound outcomes.