By Mulengera Reporters For decades, farmers in Uganda have depended on imported agricultural machines, often at costs that are simply out of reach for smallholder and medium-scale farmers. But today, a shift is taking place at the Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) in Namanve, where one of Europe’s oldest and most respected agro-machinery makers (RIELA) has set up shop to manufacture German-standard agricultural equipment locally.
The initiative is being spearheaded by the company’s founder and owner, Prof. Karl Heinz Knoop, who this week revealed to Mulengera News RIELA’s ambitious industrial plans for Uganda and the wider East African region. Knoop explained that Uganda’s agricultural potential, combined with its strategic regional position, makes it the right place to anchor a new wave of industrialization focused on agriculture.
He said the decision to localize RIELA’s production in Uganda was primarily driven by the need to make modern agricultural technology affordable and accessible, noting that the cost of shipping a container of machinery from Germany to Uganda is around €10,000. Beyond the financial burden, the shipment process also takes considerable time, delaying access to critical machines during harvest and post-harvest seasons.
By establishing production lines within Uganda, RIELA aims to eliminate such costs and delays. Machines that previously had to travel thousands of kilometers across continents will now be produced directly at UIRI’s industrial base in Namanve, an approach which is expected to cut costs significantly for farmers, placing advanced technology within reach of many who could not previously afford it.
RIELA’s decision to invest in Uganda is backed by its long global track record. The company was founded in 1972 in Riesenbeck, Germany, and has spent more than five decades specializing in post-harvest technology, with its expertise covering a wide range of systems including dryers, silo plants, conveyors, cleaning equipment, feed mills, grinders and mixing machines.
From its modest beginnings, RIELA has expanded into Eastern Europe, establishing manufacturing bases in Poland, Romania, Ukraine and Russia. Its name has become associated with machines that meet the highest German industrial standards (equipment that is durable, efficient and designed for agricultural transformation). The company’s move into Uganda therefore signals confidence not only in the local market but also in the ability of Ugandan industry to host technology of such high pedigree.
The first tangible product of the RIELA–UIRI partnership is the maize shelling machine, now being manufactured locally at Namanve. Maize shellers are a critical innovation, as they separate maize kernels from the cob, saving farmers time and reducing losses. Ordinarily, such a machine imported directly from Germany would cost a farmer at least €2,750 before taxes and shipping charges. Once freight and handling fees are factored in, the total cost becomes even more prohibitive.
But with production now localized, local farmers can expect to access the same machines at a significantly lower cost. The impact of this innovation is expected to be most profound among smallholder and medium-scale farmers, who form the backbone of Uganda’s agricultural economy but often lack access to modern post-harvest equipment.
Knoop further revealed that RIELA is exploring the introduction of a coffee drying machine specifically tailored for Uganda’s agricultural landscape. Having observed the country’s status as a leading coffee exporter, the company has identified post-harvest handling as an area where modern technology could substantially increase quality and market value.
The coffee drying machine will not only speed up the drying process but also enhance the consistency and safety of the final product. This is expected to improve the quality of Ugandan coffee and strengthen its competitiveness on the global market. If successful, such an innovation could have far-reaching effects on farmer incomes and the country’s export earnings.
Beyond individual machines, RIELA’s entry into Uganda is framed within a broader mission of promoting food security, technology transfer and industrial employment. In our earlier interactions with Mr. Godfrey Marange, the Country coordinator, he emphasized that every project undertaken in Uganda will create new jobs at different levels of the production chain. Depending on the scale, between 10 and 30 Ugandans are employed for each project, ranging from welders and machine operators to technicians and fabricators.
This local workforce is being trained and supported by German engineers, ensuring that advanced industrial knowledge remains in Uganda long after the initial investments. The focus on skills transfer is especially critical for building Uganda’s technical capacity, and by working side by side with German experts, Ugandan engineers and technicians are gaining exposure to international best practices, modern design methods and precision manufacturing techniques.
Over time, this knowledge will create a pool of skilled professionals able to sustain and even expand Uganda’s agro-industrial base. The broader vision is one where local farmers not only access machines at affordable prices, but also benefit from improved post-harvest handling. This is expected to reduce losses, limit contamination risks such as aflatoxins, and improve the overall quality of the country’s grain and other produce.
RIELA has always presented itself as more than a machinery company. Its philosophy is built around the entire value chain, from the moment crops leave the field to the point where food reaches the plate. In line with this, the company offers consultancy, training and support to farmers using its equipment.
In Africa, and Uganda in particular, the company sees its role as both a technology provider and a partner in improving food systems. Through comprehensive farmer training and the provision of specialized machines, RIELA believes it can help reduce post-harvest losses, improve quality, and ensure that food supplies are more secure.
One of the boldest aspects of RIELA’s plan is the ambition to turn Uganda into a regional supplier of agro-machinery. Traditionally, farmers across Africa have imported their machines from Europe, often at great expense, but with RIELA manufacturing in Uganda, this trend could begin to reverse.
Machines built in Namanve could soon be exported to neighboring markets such as Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which would not only create a new export stream for the pearl of Africa, but also enhance its industrial standing within the region.
Marange explained that there is no reason why African farmers should continue importing from Germany when the same machines, built to the same standards, can be accessed within Africa itself. By cutting out long supply chains, Uganda could establish itself as a continental leader in agro-machinery.
The partnership between RIELA and UIRI fits squarely within Uganda’s national strategy of promoting import substitution, industrialization and job creation. Under the Buy Uganda, Build Uganda (BUBU) policy, the government has encouraged foreign investors and local innovators alike to focus on building domestic capacity rather than relying on imports.
UIRI has positioned itself as the hub for such collaborations, hosting both international and homegrown initiatives at its Namanve Industrial Park. The institute’s decision to partner with RIELA reflects a growing confidence in Uganda’s ability to attract and sustain global industrial partnerships.
With maize shellers already in production, coffee machines in the pipeline, and grain dryers next on the list, RIELA’s presence in Uganda is set to expand rapidly in the coming years. Each new project will not only bring more technology to farmers but also build up the local workforce and strengthen food security.
In essence, RIELA’s strategy revolves around four pillars (access, affordability, technology transfer and long-term sustainability). These are the elements that Knoop and his team believe will make Uganda a model for agro-industrialization in Africa.
As Uganda pushes toward its middle-income ambition and positions itself as a key player in regional trade, partnerships such as the RIELA–UIRI collaboration may well prove decisive. They offer a vision of a future where the machines driving agriculture are not imported at high cost, but made in Uganda, for Uganda and Africa. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
