By Michael Odeng and Carol Kasujja Adii
Exhibitors and service providers showcasing the latest and modern agro-technology equipment in the agricultural and food-processing sectors have attracted huge crowds, right from the first day of the seventh edition of the Harvest Money Expo. The expo, which started on Friday February 10, with throngs of people in attendance, is taking place at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala.
The farmers and event-goers crowded at the stalls of innovators to check out the new additions this year’s exhibition had to offer. They were eager to learn how these are used in farming and agribusiness. Some of the stalls with the new technologies include that of Itungo Pasture, belonging to Hajji Hassan Katureebe, dealing in herbal medicine. His company is championing an initiative of turning banana peels, grass, and sorghum plants into animal feed.
Fire Merjeed, a resident of Kibuli in Kampala, was mesmerised with how Katureebe was chopping sorghum plants and banana peels using high-tech machines before processing the mixture into feed for animals. A dog trainer attached to Pearl of Africa company, Merjeed said,
“When I reached this stall, I discovered that Ugandans are brilliant because most of us did not know that banana stems can be chopped and turned into livestock feed,” he said.
According to him, this means that going to the bush to look for grass to feed his cows is no longer necessary. “If we adopt this kind of technology, it will be easy for us to rear animals,” he added.
Katureebe displayed how machines like a hand forage cutter, motorised forage cutter and others are used to cut plants before drying and turning them into animal feed.
Francis Gimara, the former Uganda Law Society president, who was at the macadamia stall said he plans to utilise his land in Omoro district to produce macadamia. “It is always good to seek knowledge and ideas before starting a business to avoid making mistakes,” he said.
The expo ends today, February 12, 2023 and is sponsored by Kingdom of the Netherlands, Agriculture Ministry, National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), Pepsi, Engineering Solutions Ltd (ENGSOL), RIELA/UPFRONT, Agricultural Credit Facility, Uganda Warehouse Receipt Systems, Champrisa International and State House.
