Officials have said that the program dubbed “farming for exports” in which fruit and vegetable farmers are sensitized on how to produce quality products that meet the European Union market standards has borne fruits.
“It is very important to know what the market wants and to this, the EU has played a very key role in helping us improve. Through the “farming for exports” program, we don’t just produce. The EU has helped us produce the right quality, quantity, consistence and reliability,” said Fred Zaake, the Executive Director for Hortifresh, an umbrella body for dealers in fresh fruits and vegetables in Uganda.
“The EU knows the consumer requirements in Europe and are helping us to adjust to produce the quantity and quality. The collaboration between government, private sector and developing partners is bearing fruit in regards the horticulture sector.”
Zaake was speaking on Wednesday during the national capsicum symposium held at Hotel Africana in Kampala.
He explained that in the past, before the implementation of the program, a number of Uganda’s exports to Europe were rejected due to poor quality and noted that the program enabled farmers to change in the way the produce the fruits and vegetables.
“The interceptions of our exports to Europe have reduced from 27 to zero . Previously there was a risk of the EU putting a total ban on our exports to Europe but because of the trainings, collaboration and awareness, this has been solved.”
He said this year; there have not been any interceptions of Ugandan fruits and vegetables to Europe.
According to Dr. Caroline Nankinga, the Assistant Commissioner for Phytosanitary and Quarantine in the Ministry of Agriculture, previously, between 2016 and 2019, Uganda’s horticulture products were affected by pests that many of the farmers didn’t know about
“Because our farmers didn’t know how to manage the pests, they could export fruits and vegetables with them. However, the EU said that unless we changed the way we do things, they couldn’t allow our corps to EU.They advised us to change our management and production of fruits and vegetables,”Dr.Nankinga said.
She noted that as part of the farming for exports program, farmers were trained on how to harvest, transport and how to take care of products before being exported.
“At the airport we have increased our inspection so that whatever commodity has these harmful pests is not exported. By all this plus training of farmers, we have reduced interceptions from 30 in 2013 to zero.”
According to Dr.Nankinga, Uganda exports fruits and vegetable to fellow East African countries, European Union, UK,US, North America, Asia and Canada.
Ines Bastos, the Regional Program Manager for Caribbean –Pacific Liaison Committee (COLEACP) that manages the fit for market program said they support both public institutions and private sector operators to improve the quality and standards of horticulture products.
“Through this program, we support the private sector like saccos, cooperatives, associations companies, SMEs and micro enterprises not only for exporting to Europe but also for local consumption. We offer technical system, trainings on good agricultural practice, agronomical trainings , training on how to move from subsistence to commercial farming among others,” Bastos.
She noted that that COLEACP also works with government through the Ministry of Agriculture to support in terms of technical assistance and building the value chain in regards good agriculture practices.
