Government of Uganda in partnership with Alur kingdom through Tropical Institute of development Innovations (TRIDI) is implementing the commercialization of sericulture technologies and innovations project in a bid to promote the development of the silk industry in Uganda.
Miss Sarah Babirye the project manager during a review meeting at the palace said that the project will also create gainful employment and improve levels of income in sericulture through utilization of next generation sericulture technologies. Sericulture is the art and science of rearing silk worms for production of raw silk and its end product is silk. “We also look forward to increasing domestic production of silk and it’s products such as clothes thus raising income for smallholder producers and ensuring the supply of affordable silk products to Ugandan consumers and export markets” she said.
She said in Zombo they have so far planted 49 acres of mulberry with 7 in Patera, 33 at Atyak wi-nam and 11 at Omoyo and they are still going to plant more since the kingdom has accepted to offer more land. Hon. Ochaya Vincent Orach the Prime Minister Alur kingdom appreciated the work TRIDI has done in the three sites of Patera, Omoyo and Atyak and said that the mulberry is doing very well but there is a challenge of goats eating them which as a kingdom they will make sure that the mulberry is not destroyed.
He however noted that there are some policy issues that need to be discussed so that there is a strengthened decision making process especially in the area of representation at the board of TRIDI because the project is here to stay and it will be good for sustainability. “To have no training of anybody that can help in this nurturing this project now it will be dangerous at the time of phasing off” he said.
Mr.Wacibra Tom advisor and an elder applauded TRIDI for the good work they are doing to help improve the lives of the people in the community and pledged complete support for the success of the project.
