Agribusiness expo to focus on quality

By David Ssempijja

Finding avenues of dealing with the challenges facing agriculture will take centre stage during the upcoming 3rd National Agribusiness Expo, according to the organisers.

According to the executive director of the Eastern Africa Grain Council, Gerald Masila, the expo intends to give momentum to quality aspects in grain and other agricultural commodities from farm production, postharvest, processing through to consumption.

“The Agribusiness Expo seeks to create and strengthen partnerships at both national and regional level through creation of a network with the value chain players to address quality aspects of agricultural commodities and focus on regional and international competitiveness for Ugandan products,” he said at the expo launch recently.

The expo will be held on June 28-29 at Masindi Demonstration Centre under the theme; ‘Future of agribusiness: Quality, the key to competitiveness and commercialisation’ and President Yoweri Museveni is expected as the chief guest.

The Expo brings together national and regional players, over 10,000 farmers, traders, agro-input dealers, processors, suppliers of agricultural implements, equipment and machinery, banks, insurance companies, researchers, private sector stakeholders and development partners in the grain value chains.

Patricia Ejalu, the deputy executive director of Uganda National Bureau of Standards, said the expo would be of paramount importance to UNBS’ work because it’s in line with the agenda of providing what consumers deserve.

The expo is supported by aBi Trust, AgriProFocus, Engineering Solutions, The Cooperative League of the United States of America (CLUSA), Brazafric Enterprises, Masindi district local government, Masindi Seed & Grain Growers and Masindi District Farmers Association.