The Acholi Paramount chief Rwot Onen David Acana II on Tuesday rallies women in Acholi who are engaged in agribusiness to embrace the available technology such as use of the internet to market their value- added goods to the entire world.
Rwot Acana presided over the event dubbed women in agribusiness EXPO 2023 under the theme “unlocking the opportunities for women framers”.
Acana says he was today impressed after discovering that many Acholi women are engaging in agribusiness adding that he was not believing Acholi women have started embracing value-addition to their agri-product.
Rwot however advises the women to use the available technology to link them to the entire world to know about their healthy and organic product.
Paulina Chiwangu, the UN-women country representative, revealed that 8 out of 10 women in Uganda are in agribusiness, and 9 out of 10 are women who are at grassroots level while 60 percent of these women are youthful people.
The 2023 regional agribusiness Expo was supported by UN women where numbers of women in agri-businesses are exhibiting their agri-products such as values added coffee, Shea butter, peanut, honey, art and crafts, processed foods among other products at Gulu university playground.
According to Paulina Chiwangu, the UN-women country representative, the purpose of the EXPO is to expose the women in agribusiness and link them to other business clients.
Dr. Angela Nakaseero, commissioner in charge of Gender women in the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development praised young women for embracing the value addition of their agribusiness.
Angela however encourages the women to take advantage of available markets in East African nations such as South Sudan, Kenya, Congo to market their agri-products Noticing that the government of Uganda has established infrastructure like roads to ease movement to the market.
She appeals to the cultural institution to fight negative cultural norms which is hindering women from effectively engaging in businesses.
She notes that gender based violence is still barring many women to engage in business.
Jean Frances Olanya, one of the exhibitors, says climates change is one of the factor affecting women in agribusiness Revealing that in 2022 she ventures into Hass-avocado growing after acquiring a loan of 5 million shilling but all her seedlings were dried up as a result of dry spell.
However, Dr. Gillian Omara Adyeri, the director of D’Ligh farm in Nwoya district revealed that through agribusiness, she has employed over 6000 youth at her various enterprises.
