This development follows a visit by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo to President Museveni.
Nigeria is set to begin importing milk and coffee from Uganda, marking a significant step toward strengthening economic ties between the two African nations.
This development follows a visit by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo to President Museveni.
During the visit, President Museveni hosted Obasanjo at Pearl Dairy Farms Limited in Mbarara City and facilitated a meeting with farmers from Kiruhura and Kazo districts.
H.E. Obasanjo expressed his enthusiasm about Uganda's impressive annual milk production of 5.7 billion liters, assuring both President Museveni and Ugandan farmers that Nigeria is eager to purchase Ugandan processed milk and coffee.
"I am here to see how Nigeria can buy Ugandan milk, expand processed milk production, and coffee," he stated.
The former Nigerian President highlighted that many African nations, including Nigeria, import milk from Europe despite Uganda's capacity to meet these demands.
"It's only recently that I learned Uganda is the leading milk exporter in Africa," he added.
President Museveni thanked Obasanjo for his willingness to partner with Uganda and emphasized that Uganda is well-positioned to supply milk to both local and international markets.
Accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataha Museveni, President Museveni also commissioned the upgraded Nshwere Church of Uganda, refurbished by Tororo Cement Company Limited.
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During his visit, the President urged Ugandan farmers to shift from free-range grazing to zero-grazing and adopt silage planting to boost profitability.
He also advised families to register their farms as businesses instead of dividing family land, reminding farmers that they are producing for the broader African market, not just Uganda.
Uganda's Minister of State for Animal Industry, Bright Rwamirama, highlighted the country's rising export value, now standing at $264.5 million.
He also reassured farmers that the government is making strides to eradicate ticks, a major challenge to milk production, with a tick vaccine in the final stages of development.
This new partnership between Uganda and Nigeria signals a promising future for Uganda's agricultural exports, bolstering the economy while providing Nigeria with high-quality Ugandan milk and coffee.
