Kampala, 23rd December 2024: Entrepreneurs have been advised to adopt value-addition practices as a gateway to tap into the lucrative trade opportunities locally and across the region.
The call was made during the climax of the four (4) day Agri SME Skills Development Program by facilitated PostBank Uganda in partnership with the Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises (FSME) at Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) in Nakawa, Kampala.
Launched in 2022, the Agri SME Skills Development Program forms part of PostBank Uganda’s Corporate Social Investment (CSI) under its Financial Literacy pillar. It aims to empower Ugandans so that they can participate in the social economic activities that will boost the country’s development.
During his remarks at the climax of the four-day training program that kicked off on 16 December 2024, PostBank Uganda Regional Head of Distribution-Greater Kampala, Martin Lukyamuzi, said, “Initially, the program targeted to train over 300 beneficiaries countrywide, but we have surpassed the number and managed to train over 530 participants.”
The sessions involve a 3-day technical training where the farmers or traders get hands-on learning, gaining knowledge on the entire process, proper post-harvest handling to maintain quality, and good manufacturing practices and an overall approach to value addition on their produce with the required quality so that they can explore regional trade opportunities.
Financial literacy is the highlight of the final training which is guided by PostBank Uganda representatives. Participants are trained in how to manage their finances properly and guided on the different products offered by the bank to support them on their journey as they grow and prosper, which aligns with the bank’s purpose of fostering prosperity for Ugandans.
FSME, Executive Director, John Walugembe recognized PostBank Uganda for fronting initiatives that are directed towards supporting businesses to realize their full potential through forums like the Agri SME Skills Development Program where businesses gain skills that not only help them manage their finances but also guide them on how best to adopt value addition so that they can attain the business acumen required for them to thrive in a completive and dynamic business environment within Uganda and other international trade markets.
“At PostBank, we are committed to fostering prosperity for Ugandans. By upskilling entrepreneurs in the different economic sectors like agriculture, tourism, and manufacturing among others, we are enabling these businesses to boost their operations, which will enable them to produce products and services that meet local and international market standards, improving their market base and tapping into the enormous trade opportunities within the region,” Lukyamuzi concluded.
The Agri SME Skills Development Program has been able to reach out to entrepreneurs across the country, including Soroti District where farmers were skilled in millet processing, in Fort Portal where agro-tourism best practices were shared, cassava processing and value addition in Arua District and the climax of the 2024 cohort being Coffee traders in Kampala.