Acting Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, Patrick Ocailap, has urged increased investment in Uganda’s animal feeds industry, emphasizing its potential to transform the country into a regional hub for agro-processed exports.
Speaking at the 16th National Competitiveness Forum (NCF) held at the Golf Course Hotel in Kampala, Ocailap said Uganda possesses abundant agricultural raw materials that, if properly harnessed, could sustain a competitive and sustainable feed industry.
“There is an urgent need to establish a competitive animal feeds industry that takes advantage of locally available raw materials to produce high-quality and affordable compounded feed,” Ocailap said.
He cited key inputs such as maize, soybeans, sunflower, cottonseed, cassava, sweet potatoes, and fish meal as the foundation for a vibrant feed sector that would support poultry, piggery, and dairy industries.
Ocailap noted that rising incomes, rapid urbanization, and a growing middle class across Africa are fueling demand for processed foods and animal proteins.
He projected that by 2040, the demand for processed foods would increase sevenfold, creating vast opportunities for Uganda’s exporters.
Currently, 58 percent of Uganda’s exports are destined for African markets, with more than half of animal feed exports going to regional destinations.
Ocailap said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) provides Uganda with access to 1.4 billion consumers and a combined GDP exceeding $3 trillion, positioning the country to expand its agro-industrial base.
He also provided an update on the Parish Development Model (PDM), revealing that as of October 2025, the government had disbursed Shs3.209 trillion to 3.251 million beneficiaries, stimulating local production and value chain development.
By the end of the 2024/25 financial year, allocations under the PDM included:
- Shs350.3 billion for piggery,
- Shs334.2 billion for coffee,
- Shs325.8 billion for poultry,
- Shs289 billion for goats,
- Shs247.9 billion for maize,
- Shs154.4 billion for banana production,
- Shs135 billion for beef cattle, and
- Shs134 billion for cassava production.
“This continues to boost production, creating backward linkages with smallholder farmers and opening up opportunities for value addition,” Ocailap said.
The National Competitiveness Forum provides a platform for policymakers, private sector leaders, and development partners to explore strategies for enhancing Uganda’s industrial competitiveness, regional trade, and sustainable economic growth.