Mao urges innovators to adopt natural products

Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao has urged young innovators to embrace available local products and continuously improve. 

Speaking to the media during the launch of the  5th  trends expo and business trendsetters’ forum, Mr Mao said despite the various natural materials available there are few innovators, forcing the country to  import products from abroad.

“We have realised that Ugandans are capable of producing locally made drugs which can cure people at a low cost and being under developed country we need to prevent illness without paying huge sums of money,” he said.

He added that using locally made medicines is better for the many Ugandans who cannot afford expensive treatments. 

“Uganda should desist from using pre-fabricated policies because a policy must organically grow from the real conditions in Uganda. We must respond to issues that are based on our local understanding,” he said.

He also noted that whereas Ugandans still import fertilisers for farming, the country has products that can be used as raw materials to make fertilisers.

“Banana stems can be squeezed and the juice from the stems get fermented and become actually organic fertilisers. Locally made products are  cheap and can do better than the imported products,” he added.

Mr Mao said every country that has ever developed began with what they have and then  looked for what they do not have. 

“The days of trial and error have come to an end. We need to grow our policies organically based on our own  understanding of our real situation.  This will also cater for low income earners because the products will be cheap and affordable,” he said

“Since the innovators are available we need incubators  and  the deliberate process of empowering people with money but also ensuring  that we have successful people who are mentoring them and examine all through to have a good production," he said adding that;

“It not enough to give people money without  mentoring  them. We must also hold their hands and walk with them until they can fly. Most people do not like risks yet good things come with risks and without mentors  majority will remain idle yet they have  talent.”

Ms Yvonne Mpanga, the Founder of  Business Trendsetter’s Forum  said Ugandans should utilise every investment opportunity as a  source of knowledge for future businesses.

“We must consciously and deliberately create ideas bigger than us while using our eyes as projector. Our role is to figure out how Artificial Intelligence will help make innovations happen, walk through it and deal with and use it,” she said

She also added that after 61 years after independence, Uganda should not be importing experts to guide us on how to rear chicken and grow hybrid cotton.

“The Business trend setters forum aim at identifying young innovators which can help the nation to improve our local products and benefit Ugandans,” she said.

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