President Yoweri Museveni has called on the Japanese private sector to partner with Uganda and commercialize banana flour production in saying this will promote food security for humanity.
“African foods are very nutritious. Millet, for example, is the only cereal with carbohydrates, protein, and iron together. It can save humanity. Bananas also make very good flour which is gluten-free. We can work with the private sector here to commercialize its production,” he said.
The President was today meeting Dr. Shinichi Kitaoka, President
of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and his delegation at Inter-Continental, Yokohama Grand Hotel.
Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa, Minister of State for Works Gen. Katumba Wambala and Uganda’s Ambassador to Japan Betty Akullo-Aketch also attended the meeting that was held at the sidelines of the Seventh International Conference on Africa Development (TICAD).
The President said investors in agro-processing can exploit the great potential that Africa offers with easy access to markets in the Middle East, Europe, Japan, and China.
“We have a lot of raw materials. You can use our local knowledge through your scientific knowledge and add value to the food, forest products produce starch etc. in the past we had infrastructure challenges but we have worked on these now. I invite Japanese companies to come and invest in agro-processing,” he said.
Dr. Shinichi Kitaoka, who was accompanied by Hiroo Tanaka, Chief Secretary, Office of President, Ryuichi Kato, Director General, Africa Department, Yasumichi, Araki, Deputy Director, Africa Department and Miku Okada, Senior Deputy Director, Africa Department hailed Uganda for assisting refugees from South Sudan. He said his organization is focusing on working with refugees on mental health and nutrition.
“We have embarked on dry land rice production in northern Uganda to provide food, improve nutrition and avoid draught. Our efforts are aimed at promoting agricultural mechanized agriculture to produce more food for export,” he said.