President Yoweri Museveni has commended Parabel Ltd, a multi-national company for its innovation in the production of and processing of Lemna, a high protein nutritious aqua micro crop into animal feed and human protein to be produced on a daily basis in the country.
The company is set to invest up to US$ 50 million in the project with US$10 million already invested in the first phase.
Parabel in partnership with the National Animal Genetic Resource Centre and Data Base (NAGRC&DB) in Entebbe undertook the experimental project to ascertain the yield of the crop and to ensure that the water available and weather conditions in Uganda can support controlled production of this aqua micro crop that would be adequate for a commercial industrial investment.
According to a statement from state house, Lemna is a genus of free-floating aquatic plants from the duckweed family.
It explains that these rapidly growing plants have found uses as a model system for studies in community ecology, basic plant biology, in ecotoxicology, in production of biopharmaceuticals, and as a source of animal feeds for agriculture and aquaculture.
In Uganda Lemna exists indigenously in Lake Victoria and other water masses and the Entebbe project was seeded with crop from the lake and is harvested daily.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (Livestock) Hon Bright Rwamirama said the products would be a game changer in animal and human nutrition in Uganda.