The Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID) has reached out to local leaders starting with Acholi Sub-Region for collaborative efforts to enhance the region’s agricultural sector and meet international market demands. Led by Chairman Odrek Rwabwogo, on Wednesday, August 7, 2024, they delivered an informative presentation at the Bomah Hotel in Gulu City, focusing on the production and sourcing of agricultural export products to key stakeholders in the Acholi Sub-Region. In the session, Rwabwogo emphasized the importance of implementing responsible agricultural practices to maximize export potential and promote sustainable growth.

During the presentation, Rwabwogo highlighted the significance of adopting upstream and midstream models in agricultural production and sourcing. “By incorporating these models, stakeholders can streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and mitigate the risk of engaging in unethical practices.”

Rwabwogo urged the audience, which included local leaders; Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) from Regional District Commissioners (RDCs), Assistant RDCs, Resident City Commissioners (RCCs), District Internal Security Officers (DISOs), and Mayors to prioritize transparency, accountability, and compliance with standards to avoid misconduct and ensure the success of agricultural exports.

This activity took place on the sidelines of the district local leaders’ week-long retreat organized by the Office of the President about mindset change and empowerment to perform better at the district level. The local leaders had gathered to engage, remind themselves of their core mandate, equip themselves with more appropriate tools for service delivery, effectively represent the central government, and prioritize government projects to achieve the country’s ultimate goal of socio-economic transformation.   

PACEID’s presentation served as a platform for dialogue and collaboration among key players in the agricultural sector, creating a shared understanding of the opportunities and challenges in exporting agricultural products.

Brenda Opus Katarikawe, PACEID Markets Team Lead appealed to the local leaders for support regarding three key aspects;

-Agricultural production data collection by identifying credible farmers, exporters, and aggregators.

-Identifying credible suppliers of agricultural products for export given that PACEID is talking to credible buyers.

-Support in terms of standards enforcement and drive to be able to do it continuously and sustainably.

“Let us work together to enforce post-handling standards to ensure quality production. Quality products minimize rates of interceptions which are costly but most importantly create a bad reputation for Uganda on the international market.” Katarikawe noted.

She reiterated PACEID’s efforts to create food safety laws that will improve the standards of agricultural products to meet regional and international levels. This is being worked on in partnership with relevant government institutions and the private sector.