India to Share 'Grain Revolution' Experience with Uganda

Uganda will benefit from the strategies India applied to revolutionize its agriculture sector.

The Indian Minister of State for External and Parliamentary Affairs Vellamvelly Muraleedharan, who last week made a 3-day visit to Kampala, said that New Delhi boosted its agriculture sector through strategic investment in areas like dairy and grains, and it is ready to transfer this knowledge and experience.

“India used to be a net importer of grains and is now not only self-sufficient but is able to export grains and engage in grain diplomacy,” he said.

“This has been achieved due to grain revolution which is part of India’s white revolution we adopted. India will be happy to share that experience with partner countries like Uganda.”

The Minister said the support to Uganda will be directed at dairy, grain, and cotton production, as well as irrigation systems.

“The finest cotton in the world is produced here in Uganda and we shall support a mechanism for Uganda to produce, process and market her cotton globally,” he said.

Muraleedharan was speaking at a Uganda-India Investment and Business Luncheon in Kampala organized by Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), the chief investment promotion agency of the Government of Uganda.

The luncheon, which attracted government and business leaders, was aimed at discussing investment, business and economic relations between Uganda and India, as well as countries accredited to New Delhi, the capital of India.

Uganda’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Henry Okello-Oryem, said the historical and economic relationship between Uganda and India is incomparable, describing it as “very special and cordial”.

Minister Okello-Oryem said UIA and Uganda Revenue Authority should popularize investment opportunities and incentives in Uganda to Indian investors and business people in order to attract more.

Okello-Oryem also told UIA to not only focus on big investors and businesses but the small ones too in order to challenge Ugandans and get them into cottage industries.

The Deputy Director General of UIA, Paul Kyalimpa, said India is the second source country for investments in Uganda, noting that in the last five years UIA licensed 228 Indian investment projects valued at 464.5 million dollars and created 19,572 jobs.

The major sectors are manufacturing, agriculture, construction, healthcare, real estate and education.