KAMPALA: U.S. Ambassador to Uganda Deborah R. Malac on June 29 spoke to agricultural processors and smallholder farmers from the Busoga region to promote the benefits and importance of public-private partnerships in increasing agricultural productivity and profits.

The Ambassador, accompanied by USAID Mission Director Mark Meassick, participated in a forum discussion with farmers and other partners in the Uganda Value-Added Maize Alliance (UVAMA). The Ambassador also handed over equipment to smallholder maize farmers from Jinja. The Alliance is a U.S.-supported project to help unlock the potential of smallholder maize farmers in Busoga, as well as in Ibanda and Kamwenge districts. UVAMA also helps foster private partnerships to strengthen agricultural systems.

In her remarks, Ambassador Malac said, "Through collaboration and productive partnership, we can find long-term solutions to poverty, low productivity, food insecurity, and malnutrition through innovative, private sector-led ways. The United States will continue to support these efforts, because we believe in the Ugandan people. And we will continue such investments so that the Ugandan people can have the kind of healthy and prosperous future they want and deserve."

 CARANA Corporation and AgroWays Ltd. are the primary implementers of the UVAMA initiative, which is one of USAID's Global Development Alliance projects. To date, UVAMA's interventions have benefited more than 19,000 farmers from more than 16,000 households, including more than 10,000 women and nearly 7,000 youth.