Posted on April, 28, 2016 at 09:10 am
By Dan Wandera
Luweero. More than 25,000 employment opportunities will be created when a new agricultural industrial park opens. Construction of the Shs748b (US$220m) Kehong China– Uganda Agricultural Industrial Park (CUAIP) was launched by President Museveni on Tuesday. According to a State House Statement, the park will also avail opportunities of training for Ugandans.
While launching the project in Butuntumula Sub-county, Luweero District, the President encouraged Ugandans to take advantage of the project to promote production and earnings of farmers.
Already, Uganda has two industrial parks at Namanve and Nakasongola but the park in Luweero is the first to be dedicated primarily to agriculture. Plans to set up another park in Kaweweta are underway.
President Museveni said the park will help local farmers increase their agricultural income through improved agricultural technology for rice growing and horticulture, among other agricultural projects.
“Our people need to shift to modern agricultural means such as the industrial parks where modern agriculture is practiced. The new project will boost farming practices in this area,” President Museveni said.
The President warned the population against sabotaging the project and vowed to deal harshly with anybody found stealing property at the park.
Mr Tang Zong Juni, the manager of the industrial park, said after its completion, the project will produce about 600,000 tonnes of agro-products annually to meet the domestic and regional markets’ demands.
Meanwhile, government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China to promote agricultural production under the agricultural industrial park framework.
The MoU, according to a State House statement, was signed following a meeting between President Museveni and a Chinese delegation at Luweero State Lodge.
Mr Luo Heng, the president of Kehong Group, signed on behalf of China while Mr Okasai Opolot, the director of Crop Production, signed the MoU on behalf of the Ugandan government.
Source: The Monitor