Industrial Research Institute, CURAD receive continental agribusiness awards

Mar 20, 2018

The awards were announced by a panel of the African Agribusiness Incubators Network (AAIN) on Friday during the third edition of the Africa Agribusiness Incubation Conference and Expo in the Senegalese capital, Dakar.

The Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) and the Consortium for University Responsiveness to Agribusiness Development (CURAD) have received continent awards for their support for agribusiness enterprises development and job creation.

The awards were announced by a panel of the African Agribusiness Incubators Network (AAIN) on Friday during the third edition of the Africa Agribusiness Incubation Conference and Expo in the Senegalese capital, Dakar.

While speaking at the event, AAIN Chief Executive Officer Dr Alex Ariho commended the role of the two awardees in fighting youth unemployment and increasing competitiveness of enterprises.

"The fact that Africa is home to over 226 million youth creates an urgent need to provide dependable jobs for wealth creation so as to turn these youth into a beneficial labour force. These centres recognised by the continental panel are part of the solution," Ariho said.

The Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) which was represented by the Executive Director Prof. Charles Kwesiga, was awarded for their outstanding role in the promotion of agribusiness enterprise development, value addition and agro-processing in Uganda.

At the same event, CURAD received an award for having emerged as the Best Agribusiness Incubator in Africa for the 2016/17 duration and this award was picked up by the Managing Director Apollo Segawa.

 r lex riho speaking at the event Dr Alex Ariho speaking at the event

 


The awards were put together by a panel of incubation experts convened by AAIN which is one of the technical networks of the African Union for the implementation of Africa's flagship framework for agricultural development known as the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).

UIRI was established in Uganda by an Act of Parliament in the year 2002 with the mandate of engaging in activities that would lead to rapid industrialisation in the country while CURAD is an agribusiness incubator that was established by AAIN, supported by the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa and is hosted by Makerere University.

In recognition of the role of incubators, Dr Janet Edeme, who was speaking on behalf of the African Union Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture referred to them as the key for creation of jobs.

"Having launched the 2018-2023 business plan and Africa Agribusiness Incubation Programme by AAIN, the AU will continue to support the agenda of agribusiness incubation which fits well within the strategies and plans around CAADP," Edeme said.

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