Uganda: Invest in agribusiness for development, Museveni tells investors
President Museveni has tipped foreign investors interested in developing agriculture that Uganda and Africa is the place to be. While closing the Agribusiness Forum 2010 in Kampala on Monday the president said: “If you are talking about Agribusiness, Africa is the place to be” adding that “Africa needs trade not aid.”
He said foreign investors should come and add value to African products to ensure continued progress in agricultural development in Africa. The president applauded President Clinton’s government for enacting the Africa Growth and Opportunities Act (Agoa) and the European Union for initiating the EPA (Economic Partnership Agreement).
The Agribusiness Forum aims to contribute to sustainable economic growth of Africa by further developing its agriculture and agro-food industry, with the expertise, experience and involvement of knowledgeable individuals and institutions.
The four days meeting attracted over 400 industry leaders, cooperatives, SMEs, financiers, government officials, NGOs, researchers, international organisations, multinationals and donors from 42 countries.
The forum discussed ways through which Ugandans can use agriculture to eradicate poverty and generate business opportunities via the agro-food sector. Members agreed that Africa plays an important role in the increase of food production and thus, in the long run, can contribute significantly to solving the projected 70 per cent increase for food demand by 2050.
It was also noted that indigenous knowledge should be improved on, implying that farmers require training, information technology and mobile applications to improve and grow their smallholder agribusiness operations.
Latest AGOA Trade Data currently available on AGOA.info
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