The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye MP has this Thursday met with a team of investors from South Korea two of whom he met at the December 2019 International Sericulture Commission (ISC) meeting in Japan.
This was at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MoSTI) headquarters on Lumumba Avenue Kampala. They have a silk factory and huge silk establishment in a neighbouring country and the minister hopes to collaborate with them to promote Sericulture in Uganda.
Hon. Elioda said his Ministry is trying to revive Sericulture research and Innovation in Uganda and recently successfully enabled Uganda to be admitted to membership of ISC. Sericulture can within a short time (less than 6 months) enable one to start earning money and thus can be a good income generating activity for households which can be practiced without interfering so much with other activities and not requiring heavy manual labour. Even old women and men as well as disabled can easily do to earn money. The major challenge has in the last been getting companies interested in value addition and with access to market. Such investors can help address these challenges.
“We need to support farmers with good mulberry seed, good quality young worms to feed and rearing facilities. Farmers may also be supported with equipment for yarn producing cottage industry. The investors showed me pure silk ties, scarves and even soap made from sericin one of the products from the silk cocoons. We need to take advantage of the rains to plant mulberry,” Elioda said.
