SHEEMA, UGANDA: The Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Eng. Jonard Asiimwe Akiiki, has visited the Tropical Institute of Development Innovations (TRIDI) sericulture facility in Sheema District to assess the status of silk production and explore practical measures to restore operations and accelerate commercialisation.
During the visit, the Minister engaged district leaders, project officials and members of the local community to understand the challenges affecting the facility, whose suspended operations have disrupted livelihoods and left valuable production infrastructure underutilised.
Sheema District has historically been a centre for sericulture, providing employment, household incomes and opportunities for local enterprise development. However, the suspension of production has affected community members who previously depended on the industry for their livelihoods.
The Minister was informed that several residents had undergone specialised training in silk production and factory machinery operations but remain unable to utilise their skills due to the continued inactivity of the facility.
Community members called for the restoration of production, greater local participation in project management and the establishment of reliable markets for silk products, including opportunities for export.
In response, Minister Jonard emphasised the need for a practical recovery strategy focused on assessing the factory’s operational readiness, identifying requirements for restarting production and addressing gaps in market access.
He indicated that further engagements with the technical team and project management would inform a recovery and commercialisation plan aimed at bringing existing infrastructure, trained personnel and local producers back into productive activity.
The proposed interventions are intended to restore economic opportunities for surrounding communities while positioning sericulture as a commercially viable industry capable of contributing to Uganda’s industrialisation, employment creation and export development.
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