Govt rallies farmers to use tuk-tuks to access markets
Left to Right: Kampala Central Division Mayor Salim Uhuru seated on the tricycle, Kevla Company Ltd director Sylivia Long and Wakiso District Khadi Sheikh Erias Kigozi during the launch of the tuk-tuk campaign for farmers in Kampala on Wednesday. Photo | Noeline Nabukenya
What you need to know:
- This follows an outcry from farmers in the hard-to-reach areas over the lack of transport to take their produce to the markets
The government has asked local farmers to embrace tricycles, popularly known as tuk-tuks, to transport agricultural produce from the gardens to the markets.
This follows an outcry from farmers in the hard-to-reach areas over the lack of transport to take their produce to the markets.
While commissioning tricycles assembling at Kevla Company Limited in Kampala on Wednesday, Ms Minsa Kabanda, the Minister for Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs, said there is a need to make an alternative means for the grass root farmers who lack a market for their products.
“If we have seen the black spot and we identified it, let us rectify it and work in partnership with Kevla. These bikes are the best in the villages because the consumption of fuel is very minimal, it is affordable and the spares are available. Let’s use them and bring our produce to the markets,” she said in a message delivered by Mr Salim Uhuru, the Kampala Central Division mayor, who represented the minister.
The minister also revealed that the government has directed all investors in Uganda to prioritise Ugandan youths while creating job opportunities.
“Whoever invests in the country must start by empowering our youths by giving them job opportunities. We don’t want investors who come with all expertise from out yet we have our youths with the same skills here,” she added.
Mr Uhuru said the government has already deposited Shs78 billion to the Kampala Capital City Authority account to cater for all the roads in the city.
“As you know, the roads are very pathetic and the whole of Kampala is in a total mess, but we are happy that the government has pumped in funds to work on them. Within a month’s time, all the roads will be done in preparation for the international meetings in January. We have given a sub-contract to the Special Forces Command (SFC) and the Uganda Police Defense Forces (UPDF) engineering department,” he said.
Dr Jamilu Ssebalu, the President of International Farmer’s Dialogue, said their research reveals that most of the agricultural products are imported from neighbouring countries such as Kenya and Tanzania yet many people in rural areas grow food crops.
“We thank Kevla Company for bringing these tuk-tuks because they are very essential for transporting produce to the market,” he said.
The imported products, according to him, include onions from Tanzania, mangoes, oranges, and cabbages from Kenya.
Dr Ssebalu appealed to the government to consider giving money to farmers in groups so that they can purchase the tricycles, which are sold at Shs8.6 million.
“We have come up with a very good strategy and we want the Finance ministry to adopt. They are giving out Shs1 million to every person under the Parish Development Model. Now if people gather and they have Shs9 million, they can get Kevla Tuku Tuku and make a cooperative sacco. So they can use it to pick food from their plantations to the market,” he said.
Ms Sylvia Long, a Chinese investor and the Director of Kevla said they are responding to the demand for affordable and fuel-saving tricycles.
“Right now, we are still importing spare parts from China and we employ the local youths to assemble those tricycles here in Uganda, but we are preparing to set up a factory here in Uganda to be manufacturing those spare parts,” he said.
