The Board and Management of the Kalangala Oil Palm Growers Trust (KOPGT) has pledged to commit more efforts and resources in Uganda’s economy in order to attract more investors in Palm oil production in Uganda.

This happened during a meeting between the Head of the State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU) Col. Edith Nakalema and the management of the Kalangala Oil Palm Growers Trust held at the SHIPU offices at Plot 51B along Lumumba Avenue, Nakasero in Kampala on February 22nd, 2024.

This was welcomed by Col. Nakalema who also applauded the Board and Management of the Kalangala Palm Oil growers Trust for undertaking to encourage other persons across the country to embrace Palm Oil growing. 

“You are very important to us as Ugandans. Your resources and efforts are the things that develop our economy,” Col. Nakalema said, adding that “In your work as investors, you are helping communities thrive, creating jobs and also positively changing people’s lives.”

Furthermore, Col. Nakalema encouraged the Board and Management Kalangala Oil Palm Growers Trust to exploit the benefits within the digital realm by creating a website that would, among other things, publicize the opportunities and benefits of investing in Palm Oil.

The Chairperson Kalangala Oil Palm Growers Trust Mr Diamond Cancoo disclosed that farmers under his leadership have undertaken to popularize growing of Palm Oil in other parts of the country. He stated that the growth of more Palm Oil sector will create healthy competition which will in turn benefit farmers and eventually grow Uganda’s economy.

“Oil Palm growing has now gone beyond Kalangala. So investors can come and invest in oil. We still have more investors in this sector because the issue of competition always brings better prices and better income to the farmers,” Mr Cancoo said.

As a result, he encouraged other people within and beyond Uganda to invest in the Palm Oil sector to bolster Uganda’s economic growth.

“So we need more investors to come and invest in Oil Palm so that the country develops within a shortest time possible,” Mr Cancoo said.

He also disclosed that his leadership would sensitize first-time Palm Oil growers on ways that would safe guard them against challenges that affected pioneers of Palm Oil farming in Kalangala.

 “We don’t want the mistakes that were done in Kalangala to be replicated in the new districts where Palm oil is being planted,” Mr Cancoo said.

In order to enable the Palm Oil growers realise more dividends out of the investments, Mr Cancoo urged the State House Investors Protection Unit Headed by Col. Nakalema to collaborate with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies to engage the Leadership of Oil Palm Uganda Limited (OPUL) so that KOPGT can have representation on the OPUL board.

Mr Cancoo indicated that once this is done, more dividends would be realised by Palm Oil growers which will eventually lead more development of the country.

To this end, Col. Nakalema pledged to collaborate with relevant MDAs in order to address concerns raised by the Board and Management of the Kalangala Palm Oil Growers Trust in a timely manner.