By Felix Oketcho
President Yoweri Museveni will officiate at the first ever National Agriculture Education show slated for 8th to 12th June in Jinja District
office of the president has confirmed and as organizers of the event, we are well prepared to receive him at the show.
Uganda National Farmers Federation Director for Agribusiness Kisambira Peter said the first ever national agriculture education show in Jinja will take place from 8th to 12th June where different technology exhibitions, innovation competitions will be show cased to interest young people into agriculture find opportunities.
“The National Agricultural education show is designed as learning platform for learners at different levels, a platform for showcasing innovative technologies that suit the prevailing farming conditions in the country, a platform for unveiling trending agricultural research and as well as national policy advocacy platform. Most recently, it has hosted youth competitions on innovative youth ideas in agriculture and school debates,” Kisambira peter explained.
He added that the show intends to Interest young people into agriculture through organizing, shows, exhibition, innovation competitions and writing competition in line with agriculture, train youths in practical agribusiness planning and management and also create skilled, technical and hands-on youthful farm managers with the appropriate skills and the right attitude to drive the Agro-industrialization effort.
Unlike the previous agricultural trade shows the federation has organized two trade shows this year one in June under the theme: farming for a prosperous future slated for 8th to 12th June and second one in August 5th to 14th.
National Agricultural show has been going on for the last 27 years and it is the biggest and leading agriculture exhibition in Uganda and East Africa with over 1000 exhibitors showcasing different products and services geared at improving agriculture.
The show sets a platform for knowledge benchmarking, business and market opportunities to both exhibitors and show goers. It gives farmers opportunity to attend agronomical, technological, industrial and entrepreneurial trainings.
Agricultural show has attracted many exhibitors from all corners of the country as well as neighboring countries within the East African Community.
“We estimate up to 2,500 farmers and 10,000 show-goers from across the 4 corners of the country to attend the show daily. UNFFE’s network brings up to 7.5 million farmer households, 150 farmers’ organizations from 115 districts and up to 15 foreign nations participating in the Show” Kisambira explained.
“The era of subsistence agriculture must end. UNFFE will drive a new era of farm productivity change that will integrate a smallholder farmer into the global agricultural value chains. We have also involved youth into our projects to drive technology generation, transfer and adoption as the cornerstones of agriculture modernization “he added.
Kisambira believes that this partnership will promote the use of science, technology and precise information to empower smallholder farmers in decision making to increase productivity, run farms as business, penetrate markets, bargain collectively and attain farm profitability.
The Jinja Show also brings forth a wave of new technologies at display. Local and international exhibitors arrived from continental leader such as -Egypt, Kenya, and South Africa, to come and show case of their technologies to the Ugandan markets
Kisambira however urged government to invest more into agriculture sector so that youth can consider agriculture as profitable ventures.
“We appreciate government on different initiatives aimed at poverty alleviation and job creation however programmes like emyooga and parish development models should have components of agribusiness so that youth find it profitable to venture into the sector,” Kisambira stressed.
He also asked government to supplement them scale up their youth agribusiness trainings and projects country wide.
According to Kisambira UNFFE survives on trade show collections as source of income and donations from European Union. The trade show contributes 60% while external funders 40% to farmers source of income.
Although agriculture is the back bone of Uganda’s economy the sector has failed considerably to attract youth in the sector for decades however farmers under their umbrella body Uganda National Farmers Federation (UNFFE) say agriculture is the most profitable venture youth should embrace to solve youth unemployment.
According to Uganda Bureau of Statistics about 700,000 youth graduate annually but remain unemployed because of lack of jobs resorting to travelling abroad for external non professional jobs to survive.
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