Although Government of Uganda undertook to promote Palm growing, the issue of land is proving to be a major obstacle.

In partnership with Bidco Uganda Limited, a subsidiary of Wilmar with a modern edible oil processing complex in Jinja City, government had projected a quicker implementation of the venture through its Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry under the Vegetable Oil Palm Project/National Oil Palm project.

However, land acquisition from the different stakeholders in the project areas is slowing down the pace at which it had been projected to run.

During his guided tour of Bidco’s Jinja Processing Plant at Masese and plantations in Buvuma District on Wednesday, State Minister for Agriculture also Kigulu North MP, Fred Kyakulaga Bwiino who was on a familiarization tour of the different Palm Project revealed that land among other key requirements remains an impediment to the project’s success.

“I have been briefed about the need to have as much land as possible. Unfortunately, all is not well since the different stakeholders seem reserved about surrendering their land to support the project. However, I want to assure the people in the project area like Kalangala, Masaka, Sango Bay, Mayuge, Buvuma that government of Uganda in partnership with these investors are spearheading this very important project making it inevitable for you people to support,” noted the Minister.

“Although am told the issue of compensation is also a challenge mostly in Buvuma but we shall overcome it expeditiously even if it requires us asking for a supplementary budget to sort it out we shall do so to allow nuclear palm planting to go on”, Kyakulaga said commending the investors for the good work as regards technological advancement in addition to creating employment opportunities for the locals.

The Minister argued that Uganda needs over 100,000 hectares of palm but unfortunately the country does not currently have a half of the required hectares although he was optimistic of hitting the target if at all the different stakeholders embrace the project.

Flanked by National Oil Palm Project Manager, Connie Magomu Masaba, Kyakulaga advised the investors to start using the available land in Sango Bay as more is sought.

He also assured the investors that the issue of digital stamps will be looked into and that the recently introduced 10% levy on Crude Palm Oil Uganda will be revisited since Bidco is involved in the value chain.

He has since promised to engage Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, National Planning Authority and the Parliamentary Budget Committee.

Crude Palm Oil is a critical raw material for processors of Oil and Oil Products in Uganda. Already key sector players are operating under tough times as the levies are responsible for the current increase in prices of personal care items, edible oils and cleaning products.

The affected sector belongs to the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods category. The Minister later asked Bidco management to prioritize the issue of environment in all their programs wherever their plantations are.

Bidco through its subsidiary company based at Kalangala Island called Oil Palm Uganda Limited signed an agreement with the Government of Uganda to undertake an integrated palm oil project on the island in 2002.

This project was and is still part of the Uganda Government’s Vegetable Oil Development Project initiative geared towards increasing vegetable oil production in the country.

The project is supported by IFAD and the World Bank with Bidco and Wilmar Plantations as the main private investors. Bidco’s production system starts with farmers ending with the consumer.

Under this arrangement, Bidco guarantees that procedures such as pruning and the eventual harvesting lead to fruits with abundant oil.

On their part, Bidco’s General Manager Anoop Sharma in company of Bernard Ngwabe (Human Resource Manager), Cray (Financial Controller), Ronald Barente disclosed that as a company, their target is to fulfill and honor what they promised to do since palm growing easily realizes a return on investment after some fewer years three to be exact.

“Our wish and aspiration is to ensure that we have enough land for the project to necessitate its implementation and as such, we shall all score in one goal as partners in development”.

Relatedly, Bernard Ngwabe revealed that wherever their projects for example in Kalangala, there has been great and visible development.

“Though we are business oriented as a company but we give back to the community through Corporate Social Responsibility. We have worked on roads in Buvuma and Kalangala, renovated health centers, supported government initiatives on top of educating children within the project and the surrounding areas”, Ngwabe noted disclosing that one good turn deserves another.

Buvuma LCV Chairperson, Waiswa Ddungu noted that the Palm Project in his area of jurisdiction has accelerated development. He argued that the project’s support to the out-growers has also energized the community and also appealed to government to expedite the process of compensating farmers to relocate to other places.

The Minister who visited some farmers in Buvuma District, was accompanied by a team from the Ministry and was received at Kiteredde Landing Site in Nairambi Sub-county in Buvuma District by area RDC Godfrey Tirutya, CAO Moses Kapolon Chuna, District Speaker Guard Opondo among others.

Minister Fred Kyakulaga Bwiino plants a palm tree in Buvuma district.
L-R: Anoop Sharma, Ronald Barente, Hon. Kyakulaga, Connie Magomu Masaba.
Minister Kyakulaga (L) with the women leaders in the palm garden.
Bidco’s Bernard Ngwabe plants a palm tree

Kungu Al-Mahadi Adam is an experienced Ugandan multimedia Journalist with a background of fact checking and thorough research. He is very passionate about current African affairs particularly Horn of Africa. He...

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