By Joseph Bahingwire
The Banana Industrial Research and Development Centre (BIRDIC) has intensified value-addition to increase the volume of banana exports, hence create jobs, especially for the young people.
According to Prof. Florence Isabirye Muranga, the director general of the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development (PIBID), the objective of the banana industrial research centre is to increase the value of bananas by supporting farmers to ensure that the value and quality of the crop is improved and maintained.
She said prior to the introduction of PIBID, farmers would incur losses, especially during times of plenty, since the demand could not match the supply and, therefore, a lot of bananas would be left to rot.
The Banana Industrial Research and Development Centre, whose mission is to use research to develop and market banana-based value-added products, has embarked on a drive to popularise Tooke or banana flour and related products by improving their distribution network countrywide.
“Since we cannot consume all the bananas produced, we should add value to them and export to other countries. This will increase the incomes of farmers since demand and prices will remain high,” Prof Muranga noted.
She was speaking during the commissioning of what she termed as a new generation tool of trade (Tuku Tukus) that are meant to widen the Tooke distribution capacity.
On the enormous opportunities in the market, Prof. Muranga emphasised their readiness and capacity to satisfy local and regional markets, while working on expanding the export market.
“We have internally built resilient structures to counter any challenges that may come our way. Tuk Tuks are not in direct competition with existing sales infrastructure, rather, they will ensure a steady supply of products to retailers and wholesalers. In other words, they will complement the existing infrastructure,” said Muranga.
She said streamlining the distribution process and equipping agents with the tools to deliver quality products to the market was an integral part of making sure the initiative harnessed the success of research and development.
Easy transport
The Tuku Tukus will distribute a wide range of Tooke products, including Tooke flour, mandaazi, doughnuts, bread, cakes, scones, crisps and biscuits, among others.
Prof. Muranga added that the market is littered with gluten-rich confectionery products and that enhanced distribution of Tooke products would ensure a healthier choice of gluten-reduced products, which are healthier for human consumption, and are available across the country.
“As society becomes more health-conscious, they will demand more products that are of high quality and that meet health requirements, and that is why research is important,” she said.
She added: “Our products are made from Tooke (banana) flour. Incomes of our farmers will increase as we extensively distribute Tooke products, we have created employment for the youth, as well as retailers. As we venture into the international market, we shall attract forex, which is crucial for the development of our country,” Muranga added Isaiah Ssemamuli, the Tooke sales manager, said the Tuk Tuk distribution model is built on a door-to-door sales strategy that intends to supply to schools, hospital canteens, grocery stores, supermarkets, small shops and any other customer touch point that can be visited daily.
“We intend to cover all parts of the country, starting with eastern and central Uganda. The wider distribution footprint has been in western Uganda, and this is attributed to the location of our pilot plant in Bushenyi,” Ssemamuli said.
Andrew Matovu, the marketing manager, noted that this is just the beginning of Tooke commercialisation.
“Today we are commissioning the new generation distribution, but we intend to unveil a revised distribution strategy during the launch of our first hub in Jinja,” Matovu said.
President lauds TOOKE team
Matthew Bagonza, from the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development, said the President is committed to supporting the efforts being put in place by the Tooke producers, including creating employment for the young people.
TOOKE is a registered trademark under PIBID, established by the Government in 2005, with the mandate to pilot the banana research that was generated at Makerere University, into tangible socio-economic outcomes.
PIBID, a government-funded project, was founded with a mission to spearhead the endowment of rural farmers with technical/scientific services to ensure sustainable banana production for competitive value-addition, product development and quality assurance.
BIRDC is the successor to PIBID. BIRDC’s mission is to be the centre of excellence for farmer-focused banana industrial development through strategic public-private partnerships.
