By Silvia Nyambura
Value addition in all sectors of the economy is the master key that will move Uganda to the next level of economic development. It has the potential to transform the country’s productivity, reverse the dependency on foreign products as well as turn Uganda into an export based economy. According to Fred Omach the Minister of State for General Duties at the Ministry of Finance, the government has prioritized value addition in the 2015/16 budget.
“In this year’s budget which is aligned to the 2nd phase of the National Development Plan (NDP), there is emphasis on several value addition projects. We have the Karuma and Isimba dams which upon completion are expected to reduce the cost of energy. We need up to 3000 megawatts in order to go fully into industrialization. Government has also invested heavily on infrastructure and creating road networks to enhance commercial agriculture. Currently 49% of farmers are informal and need to be formalized. These investments will go a long way in increasing the country’s revenue to GDP,
