The Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Eng. Hon. Jonard Asiimwe Akiiki, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to research-led industrialisation after leading a high-level institutional assessment at the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development (PIBID) in Nyaruzinga, Bushenyi District.
The visit, conducted on the third day of the Western Corridor Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Mission, brought together Eng. Hon. Jonard Asiimwe Akiiki and his delegation with the leadership of PIBID, scientists, engineers, researchers, innovators and technical staff behind Uganda’s growing banana industrialisation programme.
During the assessment, the minister and his team held strategic discussions with the institution’s management before undertaking a comprehensive inspection of the banana processing plant to evaluate its research, production capacity and contribution to Uganda’s industrialisation agenda.
Located in Nyaruzinga, Bushenyi District, PIBID is one of Uganda’s flagship science and innovation institutions dedicated to adding value to bananas—one of the country’s most important food and cash crops. The initiative was established to transform scientific research into commercially viable products that increase farmers’ incomes, reduce post-harvest losses and promote agro-industrial development.
The delegation toured the processing facility, where they observed the production of premium Tooke flour, instant porridge formulations, nutritious baby foods and other value-added banana products that are increasingly finding markets within and beyond Uganda.
Eng. Hon. Jonard Asiimwe Akiiki said the facility demonstrates the transformative power of science, engineering and innovation in unlocking the economic potential of Uganda’s abundant agricultural resources.
“From premium Tooke flour, porridge formulations, nutritious baby foods and other value-added banana products, the facility demonstrates how science, engineering and industrial research can transform Uganda’s most abundant agricultural resource into commercially competitive products that reduce post-harvest losses, expand farmer incomes and strengthen agro-industrial value chains,” the minister said.
Uganda is among the world’s leading producers and consumers of bananas, with millions of households depending on the crop for food security and income. However, experts estimate that substantial quantities of bananas are lost annually because of inadequate storage, limited processing capacity and poor market access. Government officials believe that investing in value addition through science, technology and innovation will significantly reduce these losses while creating employment, stimulating exports and strengthening local manufacturing.
Eng. Hon. Jonard Asiimwe Akiiki said the progress made at PIBID reinforces the government’s conviction that Uganda’s economic transformation will depend on innovation rather than the continued export of raw agricultural commodities.
“PIBID is compelling proof that Uganda’s journey towards a US$500 billion economy by 2040 will not be realised through the export of raw commodities, but through research-led industrialisation, value addition and technology-driven manufacturing,” he said.
The minister further pledged continued government support towards strengthening the Banana Industrial Research and Development Centre through increased scientific research, innovation, technology commercialisation and expansion of high-value production.
He said the government remains committed to building a globally competitive knowledge-based economy by supporting institutions that convert local research into commercially viable products capable of competing in international markets.
“As we strengthen the Banana Industrial Research and Development Centre, our resolve remains unequivocal: to accelerate commercialisation, deepen scientific innovation, expand high-value production and position Uganda as a globally competitive knowledge-based economy anchored in Science, Technology and Innovation,” Eng. Hon. Jonard Asiimwe Akiiki said.
The Western Corridor STI Mission forms part of the Ministry’s broader nationwide programme to assess government-supported science and innovation institutions, strengthen research ecosystems and accelerate the commercialisation of home-grown technologies that support Uganda’s industrialisation agenda and long-term economic transformation.