Gomba – President Yoweri Museveni has commissioned the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) Meat and Beans Processing Factory, describing the facility as a major milestone in Uganda’s journey towards agro-industrialisation and wealth creation.
The state-of-the-art factory, commissioned yesterday, is expected to boost value addition in Uganda’s agricultural sector, create employment opportunities, expand export markets and strengthen the country’s industrial base.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony attended by senior government officials, military leaders, investors and stakeholders from the agriculture and manufacturing sectors, President Museveni urged Ugandan farmers to embrace commercial agriculture and focus on producing for both local and international markets.
The President said Uganda’s transformation into a middle-income and eventually a high-income economy will largely depend on value addition and industrialisation rather than the continued exportation of raw agricultural products.
“We must stop exporting jobs by selling our products in their raw form. Our farmers must understand that the future lies in value addition. Processing our agricultural products creates wealth, jobs and foreign exchange for our country,” President Museveni said.
The Head of State noted that Uganda is endowed with fertile soils, favourable climatic conditions and hardworking citizens, which provide the foundation for building a robust agro-industrial economy. He challenged farmers to increase production while taking advantage of government initiatives aimed at supporting commercial agriculture and agro-processing.
The NEC Meat and Beans Processing Factory is expected to process and package meat and bean products to international standards, positioning Uganda as a competitive player in regional and global food markets. The facility is also expected to play a strategic role in supplying quality food products to both civilian and institutional consumers, including export destinations.
President Museveni commended the leadership of the National Enterprise Corporation, the commercial arm of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), for investing in projects that directly contribute to national development and highly applauded the head of nec major general James mugira for the tremendous work.
He described NEC’s growing portfolio of investments in manufacturing, agriculture, construction and logistics as a practical demonstration of how government institutions can contribute to economic transformation beyond their traditional mandates.
The President emphasised that Uganda’s economic strategy remains anchored on wealth creation at household level, industrialisation and export promotion. He noted that value addition remains one of the most effective ways of increasing farmers’ incomes while creating sustainable employment for young people.
Analysts say the establishment of the factory comes at a time when Uganda is seeking to increase its exports of processed agricultural products under the government’s ten-fold growth strategy aimed at expanding the country’s economy over the coming decades.
The factory is expected to provide a ready market for livestock farmers and bean producers across the country, reducing post-harvest losses and enhancing food security. By linking farmers to modern processing facilities, the project is also anticipated to improve product quality and competitiveness in export markets.
Government officials who attended the commissioning hailed the project as a significant step towards achieving Uganda’s industrialisation agenda and strengthening public-private partnerships in strategic sectors of the economy.
The commissioning of the NEC Meat and Beans Processing Factory adds to a growing list of agro-industrial investments championed by the government as part of efforts to transform Uganda from a predominantly raw-material-exporting economy into a value-added manufacturing hub.
For farmers, the President’s message was clear: producing more, embracing commercial agriculture and participating in value addition will be critical in unlocking Uganda’s economic potential.
As Uganda pursues its ambitious economic transformation agenda, the NEC Meat and Beans Processing Factory stands as a symbol of the country’s determination to turn agriculture into a powerful engine for industrial growth, job creation and prosperity.
