Enhancing food safety and women’s empowerment through gender-responsive agrifood policies in Uganda

Introduction Food safety is critical to public health, economic stability, and the Sustainable Development Goals, yet its governance in countries like Uganda is undermined by persistent gender disparities and fragmented policy approaches. This study examines the integration of gender and food safety in Uganda’s national agrifood policies to inform the development of a gender-responsive National Food Safety Policy. Methodology Employing the Women’s Empowerment in Agrifood Governance (WEAGov) framework, we conducted a mixed-methods policy diagnostic, including a landscape review, content analysis of 13 policies, expert surveys (n = 51), and a validation workshop. Results Policies show a strong rhetorical commitment to gender equality but a marked “action gap.” Only three of thirteen reviewed policies include specific gender goals, targets, and indicators, and 92% of experts rated budget allocations for women’s empowerment as weak or limited. Citizen and women’s engagement is low, with only 30% of policies reflecting participatory input. While food safety was identified as the top agrifood priority by 49% of experts, policies treat it in a fragmented, gender-blind manner, a “salience-silence paradox” that reveals a critical governance blind spot. Conclusion The analysis reveals a cycle of disempowerment sustained by weak consideration, tokenistic inclusion, and limited influence for women in agrifood governance. As Uganda drafts its first National Food Safety Policy, closing the action gap and breaking the silence on gender is essential for designing effective, equitable, and holistic food safety systems.