By HERBERT MUSOKE
The Harvest Money Expo presents numerous business opportunities at all the stages of production in the agricultural sector that anyone who has business anticipations should never miss. This was a statement by Dr. Karin Boven the Netherlands Ambassador in Uganda. She added that the expo presents a lot of opportunities not only for Uganda but also for the Netherlands because it brings all stakeholders and players in the agriculture sector into one place.
The Harvest Money Expo scheduled to take place between February 23to 25, 2024 at Kololo independence grounds is organized by Vision Group in partnership with the Netherlands embassy in Uganda, with sponsorship from National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), Tunga Nutrition, Engineering Solutions (ENGSOL), Techno Serve, K-BIC. Ware Housing Receipt Systems, Uganda Investment Authority (UIA).
Karin says that economies for both countries are based on agriculture, it makes both countries have the same agenda for making their countries better through improving agriculture as household incomes increase.
“Agriculture in Uganda has a lot of potential from the good climate, fertile lands, willingness of Ugandans to engage into agriculture and agribusiness and looking at the markets, and for Netherlands we venture much into innovations and machinery which means there is a lot we can benefit from each other by creating networks,” she says.
She explains that farmers are major stakeholders in the agricultural sector and therefore, the embassy is glad to partner with Vision group to organize the Expo because it helps the embassy expand its network, create new partners to work with in the communities as the embassy doesn’t work in isolation.
The expo presents opportunities to farmers to access finance literacy, technologies, innovations and ideas. She therefore, appeals to all farmers to come and see for themselves what the expo has for them, especially in the Dutch village that will bring a number of Dutch companies showcasing their innovations and technologies.
It’s a great opportunity to promote agriculture in Uganda as a business with the several projects and innovations that one can venture into through the production value chain but also learning how to minimize wastages with the climatic changes.
The embassy has been a partner in organizing the expo since it started, and has for the past year been in the center of changing the perception of farming in Uganda especially through the best farmer competitions that has promoted food security and farming as a business as Ugandans now believe there is money in farming if done as a business.
“Every person with interest in farming as a business must not miss this Expo because there is something for everyone to learn”, she added.
Frank Buizer the Agriculture counsellor at the Netherlands embassy confirmed 15 companies are in preparations to fly-in for the Expo to exhibit and share the technologies, expertise and knowledge with Ugandans.
“Like it has been for all the seven years of the physical Expos where our companies used to fly-in for the expo, this year, we expect more than 10 companies that will fly-in to be part of the Exhibitors in addition to those that have already established themselves here,” he says.
The expo presents opportunities to farmers to access finance literacy, technologies, innovations and ideas. He therefore, appealed to all farmers to come and see for themselves what the expo has for them, especially in the Dutch village that will bring a number of Dutch companies showcasing their innovations and technologies.
Josephat Byaruhanga the senior policy officer food security and Agribusiness at the Netherlands embassy, says that the Expo is a great opportunity to promote agriculture in Uganda as a business with the several projects and innovations that one can venture into through the production value chain but also learning how to minimize wastages with the climatic changes.
“We still have market as a big challenge for our farmers. The expo therefore, presents an opportunity for all stakeholders to network and find ways of cooperating and working together as business partners,” he explains.
He says that everyone should come to the expo since there is something for everyone to learn and change their perception about agribusiness.
“We are seeing the population growing every single year not only in Uganda but worldwide which calls for more food yet land as the main factor of production remains constant. This therefore, calls for more innovative systems of farming to maximize production and productivity,” he says.
