agriculture 12 August 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Multibillion Matooke Factory in Bushenyi: 20 Years On, Farmers' Hopes Dim
Despite a two-decade investment of over Shs200 billion, a government-funded matooke factory in Bushenyi remains largely ineffective, leaving farmers in the Ankole region struggling with low prices and post-harvest losses. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/farmer-s-hopes-fade-as-multibillion-matooke-factory-in-bushenyi-remains-a-white-elephant-for-20-years-5555328
For twenty years, the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development (PIBID) in Bushenyi District was envisioned to revolutionize the matooke sector in the Ankole region. Launched in 2005 with the aim of transforming subsistence farming into a commercialized industry through research and value addition, the project has failed to yield tangible benefits for the majority of banana farmers.
Local leaders and farmers express deep disappointment, reporting that the factory has had little to no positive impact on their livelihoods. Many, like Isingiro District chairperson Aaron Turahi, are unaware of the project’s operations, despite their district being a leading producer of matooke. Farmers continue to sell their produce at very low prices, sometimes as little as Shs3,000 per bunch, especially during bumper harvests.
“The government should support us to have our own value-added facilities instead of raising false hopes in a project that has remained a shadow,” stated Mr. Turahi, advocating for decentralized value addition initiatives.
Concerns have also been raised about the project’s management and marketing strategies. The Member of Parliament for Bunyaruguru constituency, Mr. Cadet Benjamin, suggested that while the project has scientific potential, its managers might lack entrepreneurial and marketing skills, leading to closed outlets and poor customer care. Farmers often find the prices offered by PIBID below market rates, opting to sell to other buyers.
While the project’s executive director, Prof. Florence Muranga, maintains that the project is on track, developing the “Tooke” brand and creating some employment, she acknowledged challenges such as fluctuating government funding and the need for increased banana production to sustain full capacity operations. She also pointed to demands for higher prices from some farmers as a contributing factor to the limited reach of the project’s benefits.
However, questions about transparency and accountability persist, with audit reports highlighting issues of poor management and unverified expenditures, which Prof. Muranga dismisses as attempts to tarnish the project’s image.