Unlocking Uganda's Maize Potential Through Value-Addition and Product Diversification
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Date
2025-06-17
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Uganda National Council for Science and Technology
Abstract
This presentation explores the vast potential of Uganda’s maize sector through value-addition and product diversification. As the most important cereal crop in Uganda, maize plays a central role in national food security, income generation, and rural livelihoods. With Uganda ranking among the top maize producers in Africa, the sector remains largely underutilized due to limited processing and diversification. The presentation outlines the different types of maize and their uses, from staple foods to animal feed, and highlights global practices such as dry and wet milling, and alkaline cooking as opportunities for industrial upgrading. It identifies promising avenues for value-added products including cereals, snacks, beverages, bioplastics, biofuels, and pharmaceutical ingredients. Key strategic recommendations include establishing quality standards, incentivizing investment in processing, funding R&D, and creating a Research Chair in Maize Value Addition to drive innovation. The presentation concludes by calling for multi-stakeholder collaboration, including public-private partnerships, to transform maize into a catalyst for Uganda’s industrialization and sustainable development.
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Sempiri, G. (2025, June 17). Potential through value-addition and product diversification [Conference presentation]. 9th Export-Import (EXIM) Think-Tank Meeting, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Conference Hall, Kampala, Uganda.