The State Minister for Privatisation and Investment, Evelyn Anite has called for more emphasis on value addition on agricultural products produced in West Nile sub-region to allow development.
Anite made the call on Tuesday morning while appearing on NBS Television, ahead of President Yoweri Museveni’s three-day visit in the West Nile.
Anite said West Nile is very strategic because of the fertile soils which support the growth of a range of products especially edible oils.
However, she noted that for West Nile people to gain more from such products, there is need to invest in value addition.
”We are first of all looking at edible oils because the region has fertile soils to produce sunflower. We can do very well with sunflower, there’s a lot of cotton being grown in Nebbi, and so, we want to promote our edible oils as our number two because our number one is value addition,” Anite said.
Other products she said should be added value into is honey, Shea Butter and cassava.
“So, we have good honey. We have a honey factory in Ediofe, but we want to do it more; the proper value addition on honey,” the minister said.
She added, “We have the shea trees. They grow wild. We actually don’t have to plant the shea trees. But, what are we doing with the shea trees? We have to do value addition. All the cosmetics people are using can come out of shea butter and this is a premium product internationally.”
She acknoledged that as government, they are committed to attracting investors and encouraging West Nile people to do value addition on the aforementioned products to steer development in the sub-region and the country at large.
”So, that’s what we are attracting. We are attracting investors to come and do the value addition in all that.” Anite said.
President Museveni will be in West Nile on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday this week.
According to the National Resistance Movement (NRM) the purpose of his visit is to discuss investment, wealth creation, and deliberate strategies to reduce unemployment and poverty among the population.
During his visit, Museveni will be visiting model farmers, factories, and making presentations on investments.
He will also engage with locals in two big town rallies - the first one in Arua City and the second one in Obongi town.
The president will also talk to the population about how they can properly utilise the money for the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga to increase their household incomes. Recently, the government sent Shs20 million to all registered and verified PDM SACCOs.
