Innovation seen as key to higher incomes across Uganda
Processing agricultural products through innovative methods could multiply farmer earnings dramatically, a government official told viewers during a Wednesday television broadcast about economic development.
Joshua Isiko from the Productivity Acceleration Bureau appeared on Sanyuka Television to discuss how science and technology can reshape the national economy. Farmers currently receiving 500 shillings for raw maize could earn up to 50,000 shillings by processing the crop, he explained. The concept extends beyond agriculture into medicine and other sectors, though many citizens remain unclear about what innovation actually means.
Coffee presents particularly strong opportunities for value addition, Isiko said. Presidential statements suggest enhanced processing could boost coffee revenues by 40 percent. The nation has moved beyond traditional exports to produce roasted beans, cosmetics and fragrances from coffee. International markets value processed coffee at roughly 300,000 shillings per kilogram. Traditional staples like matooke have also transformed. The plantain, once consumed only fresh, can be converted to powder with extended shelf life. Such advances in preservation and marketing help create employment while building toward economic self-sufficiency, according to the bureau’s initiatives promoting widespread adoption of technological solutions.
