President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has re-emphasized the need for Africa to achieve self-sufficiency in food production rather than relying on imports.
“You shouldn’t import any food. You can grow and then also process, because we have a lot of raw materials,” H.E. Museveni said, while emphasizing the need to add value to other non-food agricultural products and earn more.
“If I sell a kilo of cotton, I may get $1, but if the kilo of cotton is made into shirts, I will get something like $20 from the same kilo. So, when you export cotton, you are donating money to Asians and also jobs,” he added.
The President made the remarks on Monday, February 3, 2025, while meeting a group of Gabonese military officers who have been undergoing refresher training at the Senior Command and Staff College, Kimaka, in Jinja.
They included Major Jason Dimitri Raivire, Captain Stephen Obouba, Captain Stephane Meboung and Captain Mathieu Collard.
According to the President, to get rid of this sense of dependency, it will require strong government policies to leverage the good climate and fertile soils to invest in agriculture.
“Here we don’t import any food, except what is not eaten by us. I don’t eat rice because I’m not an Asian. I don’t eat bread because I’m not European. I eat my food, cassava and millet. But some of these people eat rice. They’re the ones who import some rice. Otherwise, all the other foods we have in plenty,” he added.
After their training, the Gabonese Army officers also toured several agricultural institutions in Uganda to appreciate their critical role in achieving food security through enhancing food production, improving farming techniques, and ensuring sustainable agricultural development.
About security, President Museveni emphasized the need for Africa to take responsibility for its own security and defense rather than relying on Western nations.
“Why don’t you defend yourself? Really bad mentality. It’s not good if you have children. When the child is beginning to grow and to walk, you encourage him to walk on his own. You don’t say, don’t walk. I will carry you. Then you enable the child. Why doesn’t the West want their allies in Africa to walk on their own?” the President wondered.
“Here, we don’t have any foreigners with us. They can train and go. But to defend us? That’s a vote of no confidence in ourselves.”
The meeting was also attended by officials from Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) and scientists from the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO).
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