Posted on March, 6, 2019 at 09:19 am
In October 2010, the ruling NRM party unveiled a manifesto in which it reiterated its commitment to the transformation of the agricultural sector from subsistence to commercial farming. The target was to turn three million households into commercial farmers to enable them generate at least Shs 20m annually.
This transformation was meant to be achieved through a five year investment plan- the agricultural sector Development Strategy and Investment Plan (DSIP) which would be implemented between 2010 and 2015. Under the plan, government was to ensure food security and invest in research, increased production and productivity, post-harvest management, agribusiness and marketing.
The party promised to build grain handling and processing facilities for value addition. It also promised to establish 17 grain milling and fortification plants under a public-private partnership arrangement, if it was handed a fresh mandate.
Food fortification is the process of adding micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals like iodine, iron and zinc to processed staple foods.
Source: Daily Monitor | Wednesday March 6 2019 | Page 38