Value addition projects at Bunyoro Skilling Hub signal economic transformation

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Communities in the Bunyoro sub-region have praised President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for expanding the Presidential Zonal Industrial Skilling Hubs with value addition projects, a move widely seen as a major step in fighting poverty and boosting household incomes.

The latest developments at the Greater Bunyoro Presidential Zonal Industrial Skilling Hub have introduced a maize mill, animal feeds processing plant, and modern grain silos facilities, expected to significantly enhance productivity and market value for local farmers.

The initiative follows the success of the skilling hubs programme, which has equipped thousands of youths with hands-on vocational skills. 

Building on this foundation, President Museveni has now rolled out value addition projects across 11 of the 19 hubs nationwide to ensure communities benefit more from their agricultural produce.

The State House Comptroller, Jane Barekye, has already commenced test runs of the newly installed machines, starting with the Bunyoro hub, to confirm their efficiency before full-scale operations begin. The equipment, sourced from China, has successfully passed initial testing.

State House Comptroller, Jane Barekye, tasting quality of the products. (PPU)

(PPU)

According to Eng. Raymond Kamugisha, Director of Presidential Projects and Industrial Hubs at State House, the government has invested at least sh1 billion in each hub, undertaking value addition.

“Value addition is not only happening in Bunyoro but in 11 hubs across the country. This is a significant investment, and communities must embrace and utilise these facilities to improve their livelihoods,” he said.

Kamugisha said Bunyoro’s strong maize production and livestock farming influenced the decision to prioritise a maize mill and animal feed plant in the region. He added that the President remains committed to injecting more resources into the programme until a complete grain value chain is achieved.

The National Coordinator for Value Addition at the hubs, Edmond Ndyaremwaki, revealed that the Bunyoro facility will soon incorporate coffee processing equipment to further diversify output. He noted that the maize milling plant has the capacity to process up to 1,000 tonnes of maize daily.

State House Comptroller, Jane Barekye, being shown some of the products. (PPU)

Similar installations have already been completed in hubs such as Mubende, Adjumani, and Kween, among others, with plans underway to establish rice milling facilities in Kasese and Bukedi regions.

Following the successful test runs, Barekye commended President Museveni for his visionary leadership and urged communities to take full advantage of the new infrastructure.

The maize flour produced at the Bunyoro hub has already been branded as premium flour under the Presidential Industrial Hubs initiative, signalling a shift towards higher-quality products ready for the market.

Bunyoro Hub Manager, Scovia Turyahebwa, welcomed the development, noting that the value addition facilities will provide a ready market for maize, create employment opportunities, and enable farmers to store produce in silos while waiting for better prices.

“For a long time, farmers have been selling raw maize at low prices due to a lack of processing facilities. This project will change that. It will also address the challenge of unreliable animal feeds in the livestock sector,” she said.

Turyahebwa further hailed the skilling hubs programme as a game changer in tackling youth unemployment. She revealed that over 1,500 youths have already been trained at the Bunyoro hub in various trades, with many now self-employed or working in different companies.

To further empower graduates, President Museveni also introduced a special grant targeting SACCOs formed by skilling hub alumni, with each district SACCO receiving sh50 million to support enterprise development.

As value addition projects take shape across the country, the Presidential Zonal Industrial Skilling Hubs are increasingly becoming engines of economic transformation, turning skills into income and agriculture into sustainable wealth for Ugandan communities.