NJERU, BUIKWE DISTRICT – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has officially commissioned the new De Heus Fish Feed factory in Njeru, Buikwe District, marking a significant milestone in Uganda’s efforts to revolutionize its aquaculture sector.
The President, speaking at the inauguration ceremony on Wednesday, revealed that the development of the factory is a direct response to a critical gap identified during his recent tours to assess the Parish Development Model (PDM). During these tours, which included a focus on fish farming, the persistent challenge of high-quality and affordable fish feed was consistently raised by farmers.
President Museveni disclosed that he had subsequently tasked the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) to address the issue. He expressed his satisfaction that a solution has now been realized through a major private sector investment from the Netherlands.
“This factory fills a vital gap in our aquaculture value chain,” President Museveni stated. “The availability of quality feed has been a major hurdle for our farmers, and this facility is a welcome answer to that challenge.”
With the feed production capacity now established, the President outlined the next critical step: local sourcing of raw materials. He called for a concerted effort to produce quality inputs such as maize and sunflower. Furthermore, he announced plans to evaluate the profitability of soybean cultivation with local farmers, suggesting the potential formation of a national soybean growers’ association to secure a sustainable and domestic supply for the factory.
The President also connected the project to his broader environmental initiative, expressing pleasure that his push to encourage farmers to transition from rice cultivation in ecologically sensitive swamps to fish farming is gaining traction.
“This shift is not just about economics; it is about protecting the River Nile and our vital water resources from degradation,” he emphasized.
In his concluding remarks, President Museveni extended his gratitude to the Dutch investors for their confidence in the Ugandan economy. “I thank the investors from the Netherlands for investing in Uganda. This is a partnership for mutual prosperity, and I wish them good luck,” he said.
The state-of-the-art De Heus facility is expected to significantly lower production costs for local fish farmers, increase yields, and reduce Uganda’s reliance on imported feed, thereby strengthening the entire aquaculture industry.
