‘’The president`s speech has helped us make money from cassava in and outside Uganda but we are lacking enough funds to get modernized machinery to process and add value on the Cassava we are producing “-Airo Eseza Cassava Ambassador in Uganda .
Cassava is one of Uganda’s stable foods for both industry and home consumption. In homes it’s fed on in different ways depending on one’s taste and feel, then to the industrial use it serves as raw material in pharmaceuticals, beverages, quick bytes like biscuits, Bread and starch for various purposes in and outside Uganda.
Cassava being the second staple food to Ugandans it’s a source of income to farmers because they sell everything including cassava stems, tubers for food and leaves. But most especially farmers are earning big from cassava for those who take it for home consumption.
Airo Eseza the proprietor of Airo Cassava Growers and Processors Ltd a company aimed at promoting the who doubles as the Ugandan cassava Ambassador appointed by the president of Uganda while featuring on BABA TV`S Famous Agri-business show (Kungula ) early last year in July she explained the fate of this business in Uganda and the need to empower farmers to increase on productivity . On this show Eseza revealed that the industry is yielding. It’s the government that needs to empower the farmers so that they can get improved machinery in all stages of production.
This came at a time when the president of Uganda Gen Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on one of his regular addresses during Covid-19 period when the country was struggling with hiking food prices, advised the public to substitute other hiking food with cassava for its also stable food, according to Eseza she says this gave the cassava prices to raise and the for the rest of the past six month cassava products have gained market increasing the cassava exports in south Sudan.
Now early this year in a follow up interview with Airo Ezesa on a one on one interview she explained the far the cassava business has reached here in Uganda.
Qtn. 1. How far have you gone with cassava promotion in Uganda?
Ans. We sat with the president and agreed to set up demonstration farms across regions including Bunyoro , Central Busoga and kalamojja . In Busoga region the farm shall be in Kamuli district its where we got land working with a community group, Karamoja the shall be in Moroto District, in Central Region the farm shall in Kyankwanzi
Qtn. 2. Who shall own these farms?
Ans. The farms shall be owned by farmer groups which have been in the business for over time, and have shown capacity to manage the production as it will be required. And on this note therefore we call all farmers who need to be part of this development to register with Airo Eseza Cassava Grower and processors for consideration.
Qtn. 3. What does the future look like for the demonstration farms you will be setting up?
Ans. In the discussion we held with the president we discussed this idea, so the plan is on every demonstration farm we shall put up we shall have a factory in that region to help in production and value addition. That’s the reason as to why we are reminding the government to respond quickly on this cause.
Qtn. 4. Since the president commended consumption of Cassava has it helped to make money or not?
Ans. Yes we have got money and for one i want to appreciate the president , he made for us unsolicited market for cassava products , can you imagine even the cassava flour which used to sell less on the market it’s now competing with stable foods varieties like rice and posho that it is now going for 4000-5000 per kilo . So we are left with only the government of Uganda to support the farmers with capital so that they can substitute the manual system of farming which the president has for long called “OKUKOLERA EKIDA KYONKYA “ Meaning those who produce for stomach or home consumption only .
Qtn. 5. What is the export rate of Cassava outside Uganda?
Ans. The cassava exports have increased since last year and they are projected to increase further due to the high demand of cassava products in and outside Uganda. East African Countries are the leading in consuming Cassava products South Sudan leading, DRC , and Kenya .And the demand for starch doubles day after day in spite of the fact that the production of starch in Uganda is still down . So you find that the cassava flour is on high market in these countries compared to tuber or whole cassava, So it’s upon this that we are pleading to the government to support us to build more factories that shall produce enough starch both for internal use and export because it’s in high demand now .
Qtn. 6. Do you have sustainable sources of cassava in case you set up these Factories?
Ans. Yes, this has been our regular question but as we talk now Airo Cassava Growers and Processors Ltd has mobilized farmers including women farmer groups and the youths to start mega farms that are looked at as sustainable sources of cassava for production.
Qtn. 7. What are the current farmer coverage and the leading cassava growing region?
Ans. Okay, if I may reply by region I may fail to express it well but from the record the Central Region is leading in cassava growing followed by the northern region then other regions follow. In Uganda now cassava growing has grown to 70% covering almost 1,255,107.00 hectares which is expected to grow with time.
For those wishing to start this is the time and the table lists the best varieties
Eseza in these interviews revealed to us how farmers have accumulated wealth from cassava growing citing those who have invested in other bigger businesses like transport sector , estates business , confectionery and international export .
TRIP TO NIGERIA.
Qtn. 8. What are your plans for this year 2023.
Yes, this year I am planning to fly to Nigeria for a benchmark study with a successful cassava farmer in Nigeria Oluyemisi Iranloye, the founder and CEO of Pastry International, a cassava processing company. Yemisi is a graduate of the Federal University of Technology, Minna. She bagged a first degree in food biochemistry in 1997 before obtaining a master’s in biochemistry and nutrition from the University of Ibadan in 2000. 28 Sept 2022.
Qtn. 9 How did you connect with Oluyemisi Iranloye?
Ans. Samuel let me tell it like a miracle, i read about Oluyemisi Iranloye, and later i went to the Nigerian Embassy to connect with the lady , so the embassy helped me to connect to Oluyemisi Iranloye, we started speaking and i asked her to host me look at what she does in Nigeria and on her farms , so she accepted . That`s how we linked up and I will be traveling late this month.
OUTPUT
Eseza in this interview revealed to us how farmers have accumulated wealth from cassava growing citing those who have invested in other bigger businesses like transport sector, estates business, confectionery and international export.
TRIP TO NIGERIA.
Qtn. 8. What are your plans for this year 2023.
Yes, this year I am planning to fly to Nigeria for a benchmark study with a successful cassava farmer in Nigeria Oluyemisi Iranloye, the founder and CEO of Pastry International, a cassava processing company. Yemisi is a graduate of the Federal University of Technology, Minna. She bagged a first degree in food biochemistry in 1997 before obtaining a master’s in biochemistry and nutrition from the University of Ibadan in 2000. 28 Sept 2022.
Qtn. 9 How did you connect with Oluyemisi Iranloye?
Ans. Samuel let me tell it like a miracle, i read about Oluyemisi Iranloye, and later i went to the Nigerian Embassy to connect with the lady , so the embassy helped me to connect to Oluyemisi Iranloye, we started speaking and i asked her to host me look at what she does in Nigeria and on her farms , so she accepted . That`s how we linked up and I will be traveling late this month.
Qtn. 10. Is the government of Uganda through the ministry of Agriculture in the know and sporting you?
Am in touch with the ministry of Agriculture and the government of Uganda , of course I am also expecting support from them because I have a media team I am traveling with . So we are expecting alot from the this trip
Qtn. 11. Are counting any support from Oluyemisi Iranloye in terms of financial support?
Ans.I have not looked on Money, yes everyone knows this lady is a billionaire but I have looked first to socialize, bond friendship, get skills and entice her to come and invest in Uganda to help our local farmers. But in case she feels like supporting me, I will front the local farmers who are in need of support.
QTN.12. what are your parting remarks?
Ans. I wish to appreciate the president of Uganda, the ministry of Agriculture and the members of Airo Cassava growers and Processors all over Uganda who have advanced ion production day after day. We are still In Touch and we shall overcome all the odds
Airo `s passion to develop cassava business in Uganda has grown over time , that after the president’s speech Air organized the first Cassava festival at Uganda museum in Kampala an experience Uganda’s hadn’t tested yet .Since then the industry has grown at a balloon speed.
Uganda is among top 25 countries producing cassava Nigeria topping the list
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