Promoting mango and orange value addition

Country

Uganda

Student

Claire Adkison, University of California, Davis

Description

Teso is one of the regions in Uganda where the mango and citrus fruit sector is fast growing. This sector is important for the rural economy because of its potential to increase incomes of rural farmers through value addition. However, most mango and orange fruits are wasted due to their perishability, thus the need for value addition. Processing enables farmers to expand their productivity without fear of fruit postharvest losses and guarantees that products (nectar, pulp, or juice) reach the consumers in a desired condition. However, the challenge in the path of growth of the mango and orange fruit industry in Teso is inadequacy of knowledge, skills, and technologies for fruit processing and value addition. Promoting fruit processing and value addition knowledge, skills, and technologies will enable fruit farmers to store mango and orange products without losses in quality, taste, color, and flavor.