Agribusiness incubation could curb unemployment, says expert

Jul 31, 2014

Uganda must emphasise and embrace modern agribusiness incubation technology systems to maximise benefits from the agricultural sector in terms of employment opportunities and food security.

 

By Vision Reporter

Uganda must emphasise and embrace modern agribusiness incubation technology systems to maximise benefits from the agricultural sector in terms of employment opportunities and food security.

According to Appolo Segawa, the managing director Consortium for enhancing University Responsiveness to Agribusiness Development Incubator, the country needs to harness a more vibrant agribusiness incubation agenda that consistently equips start-up Small and Medium Enterprises with facilities such as physical training space, production and marketing technologies, human resource management, business formalisation processes, and business legal advice among others.

Incubation is about helping (‘hand-holding’) young entrepreneurs through the initial process of realising their business ideas before they begin flying on their own, because it’s believed that in most cases the foundation of any enterprise can have a bearing on its sustainability

“The cardinal role of agriculture to Uganda’s economy must be boosted by turning the sector more commercial through farmers embracing agricultural value chain systems that involve agro-processing where the processors can serve the role of employing the redundant population among especially the youth,” Segawa said.

He was speaking to the media on the sidelines of a presentation skills training held at School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bio-engineering Makerere University in respect of the upcoming Agribusiness Innovations Challenge awards gala organised by the Consortium Incubator in partnership with Microsoft Uganda, Uganda Telecom, Deloitte, FinAfrica, Uganda Coffee Development Authority among others

Addressing the award candidates, the School acting Dean, Prof. Noble Banadda said the high unemployment among the young population is partly escalated by the wrong belief of being too young to realise big dreams, a case that constrains them from being innovative at an early stage.

A recent report titled; “Lost Opportunity?” by Action Aid International Uganda (AAIU), Uganda National NGO Forum and Development Research and Training (DRT).indicates that 62% of Uganda’s youth are jobless.

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