Hundreds trained in macadamia and Hass Avocado farming

Hundreds of farmers were trained in macadamia and Hass avocado seedlings as farmers prepare for the next planting season that is set to begin in March 2023. The training took place during the 7th edition of the Harvest Money Expo 2023 that took place from Friday 10th to Sunday 12th February 2023 at Kololo Independence Grounds.

This year’s edition of the Harvest Money Expo was organised under the theme “Farming as a business: Value Addition and post-harvest handling”. NAADS was one of major sponsors of the expo that brought together stakeholders in the agriculture sector from within and outside Uganda.

During the training, the NAADS agribusiness Officer Grace Kazigati told the trainees that Government through NAADS has set aside funds to support interested farmers with macadamia and Hass avocado seedlings under the nucleus farmer approach and cost sharing arrangement where Government pays 70 percent of the cost while the farmer pays the remaining 30 percent.

Kazigati said the intervention which started during season 2022B targets over 20,000 Macadamia farmers and 50,000 Hass avocado farmers along the value chain. She encouraged farmers to embrace the growing of Hass avocado saying it has potential export market in Asia, UAE, Qatar and China as well as Europe especially Italy. There is high demand for both fresh fruits and avocado oil in Europe and China.
She encouraged farmers to register with the eight (8) nucleus farmers that NAADS has partnered with to distribute Hass avocado and macadamia seedlings to farmers across the country. These include; Royal Plants nurseries, Humuza Agro processors and exporters and Njojo Farm in Kyenjojo district, Besmark coffee Co. Ltd in Kitagwenda district, Musubi farm in Mayuge district, Kanyisa farm in Sembabule district and Amafh farm in Mityana district.

Asim Morvi the proprietor of Amafh Farm said Uganda has the potential to become one of the major exporters of macadamia if farmers can embrace the high value crop and plant it on large scale. He said in as much the macadamia tree takes 5 years to start harvesting, the farmer will spend the next 70 to 90 years earning money from the same tree. Morvi welcomed government intervention through NAADS to subsidize the macadamia seedlings saying tit will help many farmers to plant the crop and improve their incomes. Currently, one macadamia seedling costs 10,000 shillings.

While officiating at the opening of the expo, the Minister for Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Frank Tumwebaze, said that Government is committed to supporting farmers.
He said agricultural finance empowers poor farmers to increase their wealth and facilitates the development of food value chains that is able to feed Ugandans.