Cassava Farmers, SMEs Tipped On Value Addition, Financial Literacy
Some participants Post Bank and FSME officials join Ichogor C in a group picture shortly after the closure of the training on Thursday.
ARUA. Cassava farmers and the proprietors of Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Arua City have been treated to excitement after acquiring skills in financial literacy and value addition to cassava.
At least 150 cassava farmers and SMEs received the knowledge during a four-day training that ended on Thursday, July 25, 2024, at Edens Hotel in Arua City.
The training was organized by Post Bank Uganda in collaboration with the Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises (FSME) Uganda.
Officials said the initiative is part of the Agri-SME skills development program aimed at empowering local farmers to explore regional trade opportunities.
Speaking during the closure of the training, Kizito Enzama, a Personal Banker at Post Bank Arua branch, said the training was a way of giving back to their customers.
He commended FSME for partnering with Post Bank in ensuring that farmers and SMEs are trained to boost their knowledge on cassava value addition and financial literacy.
The training featured three days of technical instructions where participants were engaged in hands-on learning about the cassava flour production process.
They also learned essential techniques in post-harvest handling to maintain quality, good manufacturing practices and overall strategies for enhancing the value of their cassava products.
The final day focused on financial literacy, equipping farmers with the knowledge to manage their finances effectively and understand the agricultural products offered by Post Bank to support their growth.
“By upskilling farmers, we can enable them to transition from subsistence to commercial farming,” Enzama said.
Joseph Matua, a cassava farmer, said the training has greatly changed his mind to start believing that there is a lot of money in cassava if you add value to it.
“I used to sell my cassava raw, but now with the knowledge I have acquired, I will always ensure that my cassava is first processed into first class flour before selling it. By doing so, I’m very sure that I will get more money than before,” Matua said.
Similarly, Judy Enzaru, a dealer in Cassava at Awindiri market in Arua city said: “The training has benefited me a lot in a way that I have learnt more about adding value to cassava. As I have been selling my cassava which I buy from farmers, the main challenge I have been facing is – the way they have been processing it is not okay. That makes the quality of cassava flour we give to our customers so poor. But with the help of this training, I will start processing the cassava I buy myself before selling it to make more money.”
Meanwhile Mubarak Gule, one of the participants said his takeaway was on financial literacy which has opened his eyes to start saving part of his earnings every day for the future.
Richard Tumwesigye, a staff from FSME Uganda, said they are trying as much as possible to interest cassava farmers and SMEs to be able to practice group manufacturing practices and also agricultural value addition.
“Why? Because we believe that when they put these into practice, they will be able to scale their market within their area and also in the East African Community market,” Tumwesigye said.
In his remarks, Charles Ichogor, the Arua Resident City Commissioner (RCC), said the training aligns with the government’s Parish Development Model (PDM) program, of which 90 percent of the farmers chose cassava growing.
As a result, Ichogor said the training came timely for farmers to use the knowledge acquired to alleviate poverty in their homes.
Post Bank’s Agri-SME Skills Development Program, launched in 2022, has already reached over 700 beneficiaries across the country, with this year’s cohort targeting 300 participants.
The program has previously included training in millet processing in Soroti and Agro-tourism in Fort Portal, with a final training session on coffee value addition scheduled for Kampala.
This initiative also aligns with the Ugandan government’s efforts to promote value addition in agriculture, aiming to uplift the 39 percent of the population living in poverty.
As the agricultural sector remains a backbone of Uganda’s economy, programs like these are essential for fostering sustainable growth and improving the livelihoods of farmers and SMEs throughout the region.