Global Value Chains, Standards and Local Enterprises Upgrading for Export: Case of Fish Industries in Uganda

The impact of food safety standards has great effect on the local enterprises upgrading for export in developing countries. However, of particular concern to greater efficiency in realising this especially in the fish and fishery sector is the challenge of meeting safety standards. My study on standards and local enterprises upgrading in the fishing sector in Uganda has revealed the proactive responses that stakeholders showed towards upgrading after the EU ban on fish export in the 1990‟s. While some firms invested in new tools and met the conditions for the export requirements others exited the export market. These led to losses of jobs, income and revenue for the economy. The findings revealed that, the innovations and upgrading in the industrial processing resulted into change in the value chain structure, from that which used to be controlled by fish mongers, to a chain dominated by factory agents and the middlemen. In the final analysis, the paper suggests the need to ensure joint action by stakeholders to invest in aquaculture to sustain the enormous demand for fish in both the local and export market.