The Source of the Nile Women in Agribusiness Expo is expected to run alongside the 19Th Non Aligned Movement (NAM) and G77+China summit slated to be hosted in Kampala come January 15, 2024. This was revealed by Ms. Paulina Chiwangu, the UN Women Uganda Country Representative on Tuesday, while addressing Journalists at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala.
Ms. Chiwangu said the Source of the Nile Women in Agribusiness shall run from 14 to 16 January 2024 at Lake Victoria Serena Hotel, Kigo, located in Wakiso District.
“Women in Africa contribute over 90 percent of Agribusiness ventures to generate income for their families, while at the same time guaranteeing household food security”, she said.
Ms.Chiwangu pointed out that majority women in Africa are at the forefront for the growth of maize, sorghum, rice and cassava needed for household consumption.
“Despite being one of the youngest members of the Non-Aligned Movement, Uganda as the incoming Chair will leave a successful legacy to the incoming chairmanships, for having leveraged the source of the Nile Women in Agribusiness Expo and Investment Summit, scheduled for 14 to 16 January 2024, as foothold neutral diplomacy and deepening international cooperation and trade for the advancement of gender equality and women empowerment”, Ms. Chiwangu said in a statement released to media.
Ms. Rose Okurut, the Commissioner for Animal Health, in the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, reiterated the need for Ugandans to support women Agribusiness enterprises. She said majority Small and Medium (SMEs) businesses in Uganda are run by women because of their dedication to work and being honest to customers.
She said the Source of the Nile Women in Agribusiness Expo will in addition showcase Uganda’s Art, culture and handcraft to promote tourism.
“Iam confident that our landmark source of the Nile Women in Agribusiness Expo and Investment Summit, will serve as a significant launch pad for future NAM Women Investment Summits as a chapter of concerned activity to that end in the history of the NAM and the G77+China Summit”, she said.
She said during the Expo, women from different agribusiness value chains will have investment pitching interactions with private sector investors, local companies from the banking, telecom, and other sectors, as well as multi-lateral partners, and policy makers, on how to de-risk their agribusinesses from expensive credit, severer weather conditions, relying solely on the sun for protection against postharvest losses, exploitation by middlemen, the time and labour burdens of relying on the hoe to till the land, and tap onto domestic, regional and international markets among others.
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