RIC-NET Information Officer and Community Out-Reach Officer on 12th and 13th Sept 2013 participated in the fourth annual market information symposium at Royal Suites Hotel, Bugolobi in Kampala. The symposium organized by Agro-Pro focus in collaboration with its other partners like SNV, FIT-Uganda, and aBi Trust was conducted under the theme “Meet the Buyer; Stimulating sustainable market relationships in Agribusiness for competitive trade”.
The symposium aimed
at creating understanding on the market from the
buyer’s perspective. The symposium also sought to level the ground for the
participation of farmers/producers in the domestic supply chain by highlighting
the supply gaps, challenges faced by the producers, trader loss and gains,
buyer worries and to expose some of the current market practices.
Over
one hundred people participated in this symposium. They included, members of Agro
profocus Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Netherlands especially the network
participants that are interested in Market Information, NGOs doing agricultural related work, companies- buyers and sellers of
produce and or farm equipments, farmers, financial institutions, Progressive
farmers and business men, Ministry of Agriculture, MPs and Ministers from the
line committees and ministries of agriculture, Industry and Technology.
At the symposium
institutions exhibited and also shared information on the different goods and
services they offer and or are engaged in and how they can be accessed.
Financial institutions like Centenary, Stanbic bank, and Finance Trust shared
what agribusiness packages they have while private sector- companies shared
their niche too.
In addition to this participants deliberated on a lot of things for
example on day one they focused on exposing the current practice of buyer market and also allowed the
producers and traders to interact and brainstorm on the best approaches to
address domestic and international market supply constraints. Participants also
talked about the tools for trade that both buyers and sellers need for
efficient and effective trading relationship. On Day two highlights on market information intelligence needed to
succeed in domestic and international markets, sources of information were also
done. This was later concluded with an open forum hosted by buyers stating
their supply interests in the market and a cocktail dinner that allowed for
further interaction, networking and deal making amongst and or between the
participants- call it meeting the buyer!
Among other key events at the symposium The 2013 Market Analysis Report whose purpose is to advance
agribusiness in Uganda through information was launched by the State Minister
for industry and technology. The report provides information on the market
price trends on a range of commodities in the various markets of Uganda, a list
of agro-input dealers across the country, private sector and financial
institutions engaged in agriculture related work – buying and selling of its
products and other related information like how to access routine market
information both on and offline.
Several outcomes
were realized; they included fruitful dialogue
between domestic buyers and traders/farm producers, establishment of a level
platform for the negotiation of business within the domestic market, and creation
of sustainable business linkages and relationship for domestic food value
chains.
Details about this event can be viewed on video at RIC-NET
or be accessed at www.symposium2013.fituganda.com
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