Government has intensified plans to establish the proposed Eastern Regional Agro-Science, Technology and Industrial Park, with officials now shifting discussions from planning to implementation as part of efforts to commercialise research and drive industrialisation.
Speaking during a visit to Busitema University’s Arapai Campus, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Eng Jonard Asiimwe said the project is expected to transform scientific research into enterprises, accelerate agro-industrial value addition and position Eastern Uganda as a hub for science-led production and innovation.
The visit followed earlier engagements at the university’s main campus, where government officials discussed the proposed park under Uganda’s broader Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) agenda.
“As we move beyond vision to implementation, our focus is on transforming research into enterprise, accelerating agro-industrial value addition, strengthening technology transfer and positioning Eastern Uganda as a competitive hub for science-driven production, innovation and industrial growth,” Asiimwe said.
He toured the proposed project site and university facilities, noting that the infrastructure and academic capacity at Busitema University present an opportunity to align research with national development priorities.
Asiimwe held discussions with the Faculty of Agriculture and Animal Sciences, researchers, innovators, students and university management on how the institution can contribute to Uganda’s industrialisation agenda through research and innovation.
He said universities should prioritise innovations that address practical challenges, create employment and support the growth of local industries.
“Innovation delivers its greatest value only when it solves real problems, creates jobs and builds industries,” he said.
Asiimwe added that Uganda’s economic transformation will depend on commercialising research rather than exporting raw materials and untapped scientific potential.
“The future of Uganda’s economy will not be secured by exporting raw potential, but by commercialising research, deepening academia-industry collaboration and building institutions that convert knowledge into technologies, enterprises and shared prosperity,” he said.
He called for stronger collaboration between universities, government and the private sector to ensure research findings are translated into marketable products and technologies that contribute to economic growth.
The proposed Eastern Regional Agro-Science, Technology and Industrial Park is expected to support agricultural research, innovation, technology transfer and value addition, while creating jobs and strengthening industrial development in Eastern Uganda.
Government has identified science, technology and innovation as key drivers of socio-economic transformation and has increasingly encouraged higher institutions of learning to align research with national development priorities.
