Alupo said Uganda must accelerate the transition from subsistence farming to commercial and high-value agribusiness if the country is to achieve its target of expanding the economy to US$500 billion by 2030.
She made the remarks while leading a delegation of senior government officials on an assessment tour of the industrial park in Luweero District.
“Under the leadership of His Excellency President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, our strategic goal is clear: we must transition our agricultural sector from traditional subsistence practices to commercialised, high-value, modern agribusiness. This transformation is vital as we push aggressively toward our national target of expanding Uganda’s economy to USD 500 billion by 2030,” Alupo said.
The Vice President said the industrial park demonstrates government’s commitment to transforming agriculture through targeted agro-industrialisation.
She said the facility represents the outcome of collaboration between Uganda, China, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and other partners to promote value addition, import substitution, exports, wealth creation and employment.
“When the Office of the Vice President, alongside the Ministry of Agriculture and the leadership of Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), actively engaged to attract this investment to Uganda, our goal was to build a modern nexus for value addition,” she said.
The industrial park hosts a pineapple canning factory, a chili processing plant that supplies dried chilies to China and a poultry farm producing eggs for domestic and regional markets.
Alupo said the facilities demonstrate the potential of South-South cooperation in supporting agricultural development and creating opportunities for farmers.
However, she noted that industrial growth requires stronger public sector support, including reliable infrastructure, utilities, access to financing and favourable policies.
“An industrial park cannot thrive in isolation; it requires seamless infrastructure, reliable utilities, access to capital and favourable policy environments,” she said.
Alupo pledged that government would continue improving infrastructure and implementing policies aimed at creating an environment that supports agro-industrial investment.
She also welcomed China’s continued opening-up policies and zero-tariff access for eligible exports, saying Uganda should take advantage of the opportunity to expand its products into international markets.
“We look forward to having more related exports by taking advantage of the 100 percent zero tariff policy,” she said.
The industrial park, which marks its 10th anniversary this year, was established under the FAO-China-Uganda South-South Cooperation initiative.
Luo Heng, chairman of Kehong Uganda Industrial Development Limited, the Chinese company managing the park, said the first phase of development, launched in 2016, has been completed.
The first phase included commercial layer farming, contract chili cultivation, pineapple processing and promotion of improved rice varieties.
Luo said the company plans to invest US$500 million over the next five years as part of the second phase of development.
FAO Country Representative Ezana Kassa said the Uganda-China partnership under the South-South Cooperation programme is promoting technology transfer, skills development and investment in agribusiness.
He, however, said stronger farmer organisations, improved market linkages and better extension services will be needed to ensure farmers and processors fully benefit from the opportunities created by the industrial park.