South Korean firm given 1,000 acres for agriculture

Ngara. The government in Ngara District, Kagera Region, has issued 1,000 acres to a South Korean investor planning to grow coffee and construct a fertiliser plant.

The land is located in Kazingati Village, Keza Ward in the district.

The investor, Mr Won Dae Kim, is the managing director of Friup Company, which specialises in the production of food and cash crops.

Speaking after visiting the land alongside district leaders, Mr Won said the first phase of the project would entail the building and improvement of infrastructure, including roads, bridges and water sources.

He also requested for another 8,000 acres to enable him cultivate rice and Irish potatoes, saying the area supported production of the crops.

"I’m thankful for the land provided to me. I will need to cooperate with the government and citizens during implementation of the projects whose crops will be sold in East Africa and other parts of the world,” he said.

His representative in Ngara, Mr Issa Samma, said the project was expected to create over 2,000 jobs, during which a railway to connect the area with other parts of the country will be constructed.

Ngara District Council Director (DED) Aidan Bahama said the district was located 1,200 metres to 1,800 metres above the sea level, receiving rainfall two times a year ranging from 800 to 1,400 millilitres.

He said Kazingati Village has 22,456 acres suitable for agriculture, noting that its inhabitants were farmers and herders.

He added that the district as a whole has 303,483 hectares of arable land for agriculture, and that the remaining land was used for livestock keeping and investment.

“It is our expectation that these projects will increase the district’s revenue collections,” he said.