By Abdulkarim Ssengendo
Women in agro-processing in Kabale and Rukiga districts have advocated for financial support to enable them to establish home cottage industries.
The women said this will enhance their opportunities to process their products and attract global markets.
Judith Asiimwe, a member of the Kabale Women Agro-processing Association, noted that much as the government has introduced different programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM), much focus should be on helping women have home-based cottage industries which they believe will also create jobs.
Home cottage structures will even help them meet the certification needs of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS). These women make organic wine from different fruits and bananas.
Kabale Women Agro-processing Association has about 20 women and their mission of starting it was to see how to work together to look for markets for their products and enhance production capabilities.
The women made the appeal while attending a one-day engagement organized by the Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises-Uganda (FSME) at Kirigime Guest House in Kabale Municipality.
According to Irene Namasaba, the FSME Uganda project coordinator, the engagement was meant to link women in the horticulture sector in the Kigezi region with different prayers of the business ecosystem.
“We want them to accelerate their business through formalisation, have good financial discipline, record keeping and linkages to standards,” Namasaba added.
Marriam Kenyangi, a vegetable farmer from Rukiga district said they are still struggling to get certification of their products which is limiting them to expand their market.
Currently, she said they are selling locally and have failed to hit better markets because they have failed to secure UNBS certification.
The women hailed organizations like TechnoServe, and FSME that have offered support to grow their businesses.
They also want support to link them to the best institutions that can give them loans with low interest.
Jonan Twinamatsiko, a business banker at Post Bank Kabale advised women to tap into government programs like the recently launched Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) project which aims at supporting women in transitioning from micro and small to medium-sized and large enterprises.
Sylvia Kyobutungi, the Branch Manager of Post Bank Kabale said they have started the process of giving out money under this project.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Women in the horticulture sector in Kigezi region pose for the photo with other officials after a one-day engagement organized by the Federation of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises-Uganda (FSME) at Kirigime Guest House in Kabale Municipality. Photos by Abdulkarim Ssengendo
