The Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID) has urged Ugandan farmers to increase the cultivation of soybeans and cassava, key raw materials in fish feed production, to reduce the country’s dependence on imported inputs.
PACEID Chairman Mr Odrek Rwabwogo emphasised that localizing feed raw materials like soybeans, maize, and cassava would reduce production costs, strengthen farmer incomes, and improve the competitiveness of Ugandan fish on regional and global markets.
“This is a huge opportunity for farmers, especially in Busoga to supply cassava and maize, while Acholi and other regions can focus on soybeans and grains,” Mr Rwabwogo said during a PACEID visit to the De Heus Uganda Ltd, a newly established Tilapia feed factory in Njeru Municipality in Buikwe district.
“Countries that don’t produce animal feeds cannot sustainably increase food production,” he added. “Uganda must build its own feed base. If we grow enough soybeans, maize, and cassava, we can replace imports, feed our fish, and strengthen food security for our population.”
The factory, officially commissioned by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on September 2, 2025, is the first of its kind in Uganda. Mr. Rwabwogo stressed that the establishment of such factories is crucial for the country’s agricultural production.
“It is very important for the country, because nations that cannot produce enough animal feed can never increase their overall agricultural production. Uganda, which has about two rainy seasons, can only grow to a certain extent if we continue relying on grass-fed animals and wild catch,” he said.
Mr. Rwabwogo added that if about 5 to 10 of such factories can be established across the country, Uganda could produce millions of tons of fish, potentially earning an additional USD 1.2 billion dollars in foreign exchange.
Mr Bon Tjeenk Willink, Managing Director of De Heus Uganda Ltd, said the facility still imports some materials from Vietnam, which takes 3-4 months to arrive. He added that the factory is operating under low production due to a lack of raw materials for fish feed production.
“We had a dream of producing over one million tons of fish feed annually by 2035, marking a new chapter in Uganda’s aquaculture value chain; it has been widely adopted in some parts of the country,” Mr Tjeenk said.
He cited the availability of raw materials, growing demand in rapidly increasing aquaculture, and improved farmer production as reasons why Uganda was chosen for the establishment of the factory.