This small-scale fisheries brief is tailored to provide insight into the contribution of small-scale fisheries to healthy food systems and sustainable livelihoods in Uganda. Over 10.2 million people are nourished from fish supplied from small-scale fisheries in Uganda, and at least 3.2 million people depend at least partially on small-scale fisheries livelihoods. The sector has an essential role in transforming Uganda’s food system by contributing to healthy and sustainable diets, equitable livelihoods and leaving no one behind in the fight against hunger and poverty. However, it faces multiple threats and challenges, such as shocks (due for example to climate change or the COVID-19 pandemic) and poor governance, which undermine the potential benefits to Uganda’s society and progress towards the SDGs. Strengthening the commitment and implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) can help safeguard and enhance small-scale fisheries’ contributions to sustainable development and food systems in Uganda. Strategies are needed to highlight the nutritional value of small, low-cost fish species and to address fish loss and waste across value chains, as well as to promote equitable trade, governance and utilization of fish as food.