The Executive Director of Uganda Industrial Research Institute –UIRI Prof. Charles Kwesiga has expressed concern that Uganda has continued to import potato crisps despite the growing of Irish potatoes in several parts of the country.
This issue was raised on Monday during the Stakeholders Workshop on Irish Potato Value Chain, at Kabale University.
Prof. Kwesiga said it was embarrassing that Ugandan supermarkets are full of Irish potato crisps made in foreign countries, especially the United States, and he found it pointless to see American crisps being sold in Kabale District where Irish Potato growing has flourished for decades.
In the same terms the UIRI E.D stated that it was senseless to keep importing small items such as tooth picks from countries like China, Indonesia, and Korea despite availability of bamboo forests in Uganda.
Prof. Charles Kwesiga who personally owns an Irish processing plant asked Kabale University to emphasize on careful selection of skilled Labour, appropriate technology and affordable financing, for good quality production and sustainability.
Kabale University Vice Chancellor Prof. Joy Kwesiga revealed that they had received a boost of over UgX Shs. 900 Million from the United Nations Development Program-UNDP for investment into the Irish Potato Value Addition Program. Part of the money was used to procure a number of Irish potato processing machines which were unveiled to the public during today’s event.
The UNDP Team Leader in charge of Inclusive Growth and Innovation Portfolio, Mr. Innocent Fred explained that their partnership with Kabale University was in line with the Strategic Development Goal- SDG No.1 which is eliminating poverty. He noted that their annual investment in Uganda amounts to Shs.100 billion, and the vision was to create more jobs for many unemployed Ugandans, especially the Youths.
Meanwhile, the Kabale District Production Officer-DPO Mr. Beda Mwebesa challenged Kabale University to invest in research about the increasing soil infertility that has caused severe reduction in Irish potato production in Kigezi sub-region, over the last 15 years. Mr. Mwebesa observed that despite introduction of fertilizers, the multiplication ratio had reduced from 9-10 bags of Irish potatoes to only 4-6 bags per 100 Kgs of seed planted in a single season.
Kabale University was taken over by the Government as a Public academic institution of higher education targeting beneficiaries from the Kigezi Sub-region. This was after it operated as a Private University for close to 15 years.
Following its transition into a public institution, the University has expanded in infrastructure and academic programs which in turn projected the number of students from 1500 to over 5000 as of June 2024. A number of development partners have also come along to support the University, and among them is the UNDP.
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