By Jackie Nambogga
The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands to Uganda, Frederieke Quispel, says President Yoweri Museveni’s background in agriculture is a blessing in promoting the best farming practices, especially among smallholder farmers in the country.
Museveni has kept preaching gains of the four-acre model practices in which he promotes coffee, dairy, horticulture and fish farming among small landholders to improve household incomes.
According to Quispel, 95% of the farmers in Uganda are smallholders who she said need to appreciate farming as a business to spur the country’s economic growth.
Officiating at the opening of the first Dutch fish feed stores called De Heus Uganda limited in Jinja city on Friday, Quispel vowed to support Museveni in attaining his Vision of 2040 through the agricultural side.
Since her country has a good reputation in farming, the ambassador said she needed to rely on the same to promote agriculture in Uganda.
Quispel narrated how she was new in Uganda and that during the presentation of her letters of credentials to the President, he emphasised the importance of investment, tourism and trade (ITT).
Quispel who had earlier on visited the ongoing construction of the fish feeds factory, said this was in line with Museveni’s ITT emphasis.
“I also proudly informed him that the Netherlands was investing largely in Uganda via the wonderful traditional family Dutch company dealing in fish feeds,” Quispel told the gathering.
She said this was a sign of boosting economic ties between the Netherlands and Uganda through promoting investment and trade as per their initial engagement to benefit smallholder farmers.
Fazira Kawuma, the Jinja city deputy mayor said fish farming is one of the biggest economic activities being carried out in the entire Busoga sub-region and by opening a fish feeds store in the area, it would spur more productivity.
Bon Tjeenk Willink, the Managing Director of De Heus Uganda limited described Uganda as the epicentre of aquaculture with 90% into cage farming in East Africa which is also enjoyed by the natives.
Uganda earns $158m from fish export and the sector is estimated to be employing 60% of the country’s population.
Ronald Muloki, a fish farmer based in Mukono district said he had been grappling with poor feeds on the market which was compromising the growth of fish.
Muloki said purchasing sub-standard feeds leads farmers to spend more money for the fish to gain the required size and weight.
However, since Muloki embraced De Hues products, he confessed that his fish are growing faster.
At one month, his fish weighed 200 grams yet previously they could weigh between 40 to 50 grams.
Muloki said he hosted officials from the Uganda National Bureau of Standards who took two samples from his farm and confirmed that the feeds had all the contents and nutrients required in fish farming.
Despite being of high quality, Toeposita Batanakya, a cage farmer at Masese landing site in Walukuba/Masese ward, Jinja city said the feeds are expensive.
Willink said they didn’t aim at making cheap feed products that would compromise quality.
Once completed, he revealed that their plant would be producing 100,000 tonnes of feeds annually.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Frederieke Quispel, the Netherlands ambassador to Uganda (centre) flanked by Kiira region police CID Johnson Mande Agaba and Bon Tjeenk Willink, the Managing Director of De Heus Uganda limited after launching the fish feeds stores in Jinja town on Friday. Photos by Jackie Anmbogga
