Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has offered part of his Kisozi farm in Maddu sub-county to an Iranian investor to promote silk production. The Shs 18.5-bn project by the Iran Agro Industrial Group will cover 1,000 hectares and produce over 10,000 metric tonnes of silk that will be exported to Iranl, according to Group Chairman Seyed Mohammad Ali.
Speaking at the official commissioning of the project, Uganada’s Minister for agriculture, animal industry and fisheries Vicent Ssempija said the government plans to give out more land to foreign investors who are interested in silk production, according to a report.
Farmers of silk are to receive some technical training after the Private Sector Foundation Uganda launched an experimental station where some skills will be taught. Meanwhile, the Private Sector Foundation Uganda, will train silk farmers at a centre in the Ankole Western University campus under the Skills Development Facility (SDF), a government project funded by the World Bank.
A grant of Shs 764 mn has been sanctioned to Ankole Western University to strengthen research in bivoltine sericulture and silk industry development in Western Uganda, according to a statement from the foundation.
