Agro-inputs to be tagged to check fakes

Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has launched an electronic Verification System, will enabling consumers to check the details of the products they buy using their mobile phones. The e-tag system was launched on 24 November in Kampala along with a nation-wide public education and advertising campaign to support it.

Partnership
It is a result of a collaboration between UNBS, as regulator, Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (Maaif) as the line ministry, Ministry of Trade and Cooperatives, agro input businesses and manufacturers.

Other technical and funding support was provided by Usaid’s Feed the Future Uganda Agricultural Inputs Activity.
“We are pleased with the good working relationship between our Ministry of Trade and Cooperatives, UNBS and Maaif. The importance of this partnership is vital for systems such as this e-verification to be effectively adopted,” said Patricia Ejalu, the deputy executive director, UNBS.

“E-tag System has been developed to work across all production sectors in Uganda, the agricultural sector has taken the lead,” she added.

How it works
The e-verification for agro-inputs is intended to provide real time information to help the buyer or person intending to buy the product or the end-user to make a decision before purchase.

Before buying a product, for instance, fertiliser, herbicide, seed or an agro-chemical, he or she will scratching a silver panel on the product to reveal a unique code, and then send that code to the number provided on the scratch panel using a mobile phone.

A message is sent back to the consumer informing them of the key product details and clarifying whether it is genuine or not.
Also, because the call is free, genuine agro dealers would be in position to verify the products for their customers.

While officially launching the e-tag system, David Wakikona, the state minister for industry and cooperatives, decried the increase of counterfeit agro inputs and other products such as fake seeds on the market.

Economic loss
He therefore pointed out that this profileration of sub-standard products, the genuine dealers are continually facing challenges to reach their consumers who are at the same time deprived of the opportunity or access to the good products.

It is estimated that up to 30 per cent of the Ugandan market is taken up by fake or counterfeit products or agro-inputs when it comes to the agricultural sector.
The total economic loss has been put at millions of dollars per year.

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