Roundup: Uganda eyes China's organic food market

As China's middle class gets aware of healthy living and dieting, farmers as far as Uganda are set to cash in on the high demand for organic foods in the Asian country.

Ouyang Daobin, Economic Counselor at the Chinese embassy in Uganda told Xinhua in a recent interview that Ugandan farmers need to position themselves to take advantage of the growing demand for organic foods in China.

"China will in future have a high demand for organic foods like juice, vegetables," Ouyang said.

The Chinese government has already sent experts to Uganda to train farmers on new affordable technologies and crop varieties in a bid to boost production.

Through the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) South to South Cooperation, the Chinese experts share knowledge with Uganda farmers on what works best to boost production.

FAO, China and Uganda on Sept. 25 signed a two-year agreement worth about 2.5 million U.S. dollars to support small-scale farmers.

The agreement is an extension of an earlier partnership initially established in 2012 to make training and technical advice available to the Ugandan agriculture sector.

Through this cooperation, Chinese experts offering guidance to local communities in Uganda have helped transfer 25 new farming technologies and introduced 17 new crop varieties. These varieties include hybrid rice, foxtail millet and maize.

The addition of new technologies, varieties and training practices has shown good results with improved crop yields which have increased the incomes of smallholder farmers, according to FAO.

Under the renewed agreement, some 4,000 farmers will be trained in a wide range of areas such as cereals, horticulture, aquaculture and livestock by experts located in five hubs across Uganda.

Priority will also be given to introducing new technologies including renewable energy, agro-machinery, and improved water harvesting and irrigation methods.

The Ugandan government already has a positive attitude about Chinese investment in the country's agriculture sector.

The country's Vice President Edward Ssekandi while meeting a delegation of Chinese agricultural enterprises and officials from China's Sichuan province last year said government is ready to deepen cooperation with China in the agricultural sector.

Joint studies between Chinese and Ugandan experts on the growth of Chinese crops in Uganda have shown good results.

Opolot Okasai Commissioner for Crop Resource at Uganda's ministry of agriculture said studies on the growth of Chinese hybrid rice in Uganda showed positive results.

The hybrid rice can yield up to 10 metric tonnes per hectare compared to the conventional rice which yields 4.5 metric tonnes per hectare.

Okasai also said the hybrid Chinese fox tail millet can yield eight metric tonnes per hectare compared to the conventional millet which gives a yield of up to 1.5 metric tonnes per hectare.

Studies have shown that hybrid Chinese vegetables can also do well in Uganda with the possibility of producing 12 tonnes per hectare.

The Chinese experts have also introduced greenhouse farming which can be used in urban areas where agricultural land is limited. They argue that this type of farming can be a source of employment to the many youths in urban areas.

Although currently there is no substantial amounts of agriculture products exported to China, these Chinese efforts in Uganda are setting the pace.

Already through bilateral agreements, Uganda can export its products quota and tariff free to China. Endit