In this submission, I analyze the use of data as a solution to changing the development landscape in Uganda. Barriers and solutions are highlighted.

1. Data is changing the Development Landscape in Uganda

2. Defining ‘Data’
The 2021 World Development Report defines data as ‘facts as they related to
mathematical representations’.

3. The Case of Uganda
1.Landlocked country in East Africa
2. 90% of Population survive off subsistence farming
3. The southern part of the country includes a substantial portion of Lake Victoria
4. One of the poorest nations in the world
5. One of the highest road accident rates in the world

4. The Case of Uganda
• Farming as a livelihood in Uganda
• People in rural areas of Uganda depend on farming as the main source of
income and 90 per cent of all rural women work in the agricultural sector.
• Public health in Uganda
• Public health in especially rural Uganda lags behind national policy targets
and the Millennium Development Goals, with geographical inaccessibility,
lack of transport and financial burdens identified as key demand-side
constraints to accessing health services
• Road safety as a major concern in Uganda
• In 2011 the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank
launched a Decade of Action for Road Safety for countries including
Uganda, and they have provided funding and technical assistance to build
systems aimed at reducing injuries and deaths on the road.
• Road safety in Uganda is one of the worst in the world with some of the
highest number of road accidents recorded.

5. Data as the solution to growth
The Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) can use available data to improve on the well being of the population in the
following ways;
Using available Data to monitor public health
Private intent data collected from mobile phone utilities and repurposed by government MDAs can be used to highlight population mobility
which can help to curb the spread of diseases amongst the population and also improve public health; including maternity health.
An example of how data can improve public health is where the government uses a data base from a health center to directly take an interest
in the pregnant mothers and use this information to randomly reach out and ensure safe pregnancies and deliveries for them.
Uganda’s neighbor Kenya used mobile phone usage data to help in the control of Covid 19 infections
This illustrates how a mix of both private and public intent data can foster development in the health sector.
Using data to ensure road safety
Data Literacy is becoming an essential aspect for leaders in the transport sector as a means to improving road safety in developing countries
like Uganda.
Vehicle tracking and speed governors’ equipment has become an essential part of the vehicle leasing industry in Uganda as a means to
monitor the public transport sector.
Trackers provide the ability for vehicle owners and the vehicle financiers/leasers to observe how the vehicles are being used by their
employees.
This in turn encourages responsible vehicle usage and reduces on the prevalence of road accidents.
The country’s leaders should interest themselves in adopting a road safety app that notifies authorities of accidents to ensure a quicker
response while also warning motorists of the danger spots along the highways.
Such information can easily be made available for use and interpretation for growth and development of a country like Uganda.

6. Using data to monitor illegal fishing and deforestation
A combination between public intent and private intent data can create a powerful resource
extraction control method that can identify illegal activities like deforestation and
unauthorized fishing.
The use of Public intent data from satellite images, community observations and monitoring apps
created by environmental organizations can help to support the natural resources sector.
Using data to keep governments accountable
Crowd sourced data, Social media discussion board’s data, Newspaper articles, among others are
being used by anti corruption organizations and civil societies to keep governments
accountable with a systematic, real-time view of corruption trends.
Using data to target resource allocations, mapping poverty, bench marking
Data can be used for many other purposes that will foster development.
Government leaders need to train themselves and create the necessary skill set that will ensure
repurposing of data for many other used that will facilitate development.

7. Barriers and Solutions to Data usage for growth in Uganda
a.) Lack of resources, technical capacity, and data governance hamper the production of useful data for public policy
b.) Data can be difficult to understand, monitor, and regulate
c.) Available data may sometimes miss the poorest or other marginalized populations and perpetuate discrimination and biases
d.) Data protection is a key issue for safety of sensitive information
e.) Lack of data literacy and demand for data limits their use for public policy. Some investments in better data have paid for themselves
f.) Ensuring a political commitment to and predictable government financing is a real challenge in Uganda

8. Promoting and strengthening data literacy among the senior leadership
in the country can lead to immediate benefits from the usage of data in
the development of Uganda’s sectors of health, road safety, poverty
eradication and climate control
Sources:
World Development Report 2021
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uganda#Poverty