Sustainability and the role of policy regulations in agro-processing small and medium enterprises in Uganda

This study explores the policy regulations for the sustainable development of agro-processing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Uganda, drawing on the experiences of enterprise owners in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area (GKMA). The study adopted a qualitative inductive approach and conducted in-depth interviews with 30 owners of agro-processing SMEs. The findings highlight regulatory challenges that hinder agro-processing SMEs from fully adopting sustainable practices, revealing a disconnect between policy intentions and implementation. The study develops a sustainability-policy nexus model and recommends its adoption by agro-processing SMEs in GKMA.