Dei Group of Companies owned by Dr.Mathias Magoola has expanded wings by venturing into production of organic fertilisers.
On Wednesday evening, Organic New Earth(ONE) was unveiled as the latest baby for the group during a function held at Mestil Hotel in Kampala.
According to Herbert Gasasira, the Operations and Quality Manager for Dei Organic International, the new product helps amend soil.
“ This fertilizer feeds the soil and the soil in turn feeds the plant as God intended it to be. This is a purely organic treatment that will take and make our plants truly organic. It is made through compositing chicken manure and green waste which are all natural to make the fertilizer. It is meant to nourish the soil. We have had instances of over using synthetic fertilizers which spoil the soil but this product comes to heal the soil and put back what it has lost,” Gasasira said.
“This is unique since it focuses on taking the soil back to where it used to be. It doesn’t focus on any specific plants but soil so that it can be able to support all types of plants.”
He said the new product will not only help farmers get improved yields and higher incomes but also contribute to job creation with new employment opportunities in agriculture, manufacturing and distribution of the product.
The CEO National Organic Agricultural Movement of Uganda(NOGAMU), Shalton Namuwoza said there has been a major gap in production of organic foods, not only in Uganda but Africa at large.
“Uganda is going to use this innovative product at the level of production to change the game of organic foods. I believe Uganda can be, not only the food basket of East Africa but a food basket of organic produce in Africa,”Namuwoza said.
He however noted that this will not come on a silver platter but rather deliberate efforts for everyone to invest in organic production of food.
Alex Lwakuba, the Commissioner for Crop Production at the Ministry of Agriculture said the demand for safe and hazard free food in the world is increasing day by day, noting that is an opportunity for Uganda to tap into this demand.
“Uganda is an agricultural country and desires to transform from peasantry to modernity but also need to make money. Organic agriculture is a subject that a makes money since it is market oriented farming system as it doesn’t encourage inputs from chemical and synthetic materials but pesticides from natural items. We need to rise and harness the global market waiting for us,” Lwakuba said.
The Ministry of Agriculture official said innovations like organic fertilisers will help support Uganda’s quest to take over the global market with organic foods.
