Speaking during the commissioning of the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) Meat and Beans Processing Plant in Kisozi, Gomba District, Museveni described the facility as a major milestone in Uganda’s push for industrialisation, value addition and strategic self-reliance.
The factory, a joint venture between NEC and businessman Francis Ragwa, will process canned beef and beans for both local consumption and export markets.
Museveni said Uganda already has the production capacity required to support the plant, adding that the main challenge has been organising farmers and guaranteeing markets for their produce.
He cited the growth of Uganda’s coffee and dairy sectors as examples of how market-driven production can transform industries.
“Once I am sure about the market, I can mobilise Ugandans to produce because the economics are correct. The stimulus for production is the market,” Museveni said.
The President noted that Uganda’s cattle population has grown from about three million in 1986 to more than 16 million, demonstrating the country’s ability to supply the meat processing industry through both commercial and smallholder farmers.
He urged stakeholders to identify the most effective production model while ensuring farmers directly benefit from opportunities created through value addition.
Museveni also commended NEC and the investors behind the project for completing the facility despite challenges, including delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, described the factory as a significant step towards industrialisation, value addition and strategic self-reliance.
He said Uganda has for years relied on imported operational rations such as canned beef and beans, but the new facility would help the country move towards self-sufficiency.
“With this plant, the UPDF is transitioning towards self-sufficiency,” Kiwanuka said, adding that the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs would prioritise procurement from the facility and encourage other government institutions to support locally manufactured products.
The Managing Director of NEC, Lt Gen James Mugira, said the project was conceived in 2019 to establish a beef and beans processing plant alongside a tin can manufacturing facility.
He said the factory would contribute to import substitution by producing canned beef and other food products locally, reducing government expenditure on imported dry rations for the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), Uganda Police Force and Uganda Prisons Service.
Mugira added that local production would strengthen national food security and reduce vulnerabilities linked to global supply chain disruptions.
The Managing Director of NEC Meat and Beans Processing Plant, Francis Ragwa, said extensive research and benchmarking informed the development of the facility.
He said Uganda should position its Ankole cattle as a premium international brand by moving away from selling beef as a basic commodity.
“We can no longer sell beef simply as a commodity. We must tell our story and market the uniqueness of Uganda’s cattle heritage,” Ragwa said.