As part of strengthening and promoting research and development projects focusing on the leather sector, COMESA-Leather and Leather Products Institute (COMESA/LLPI) organized a one-day meeting for academic colleagues from Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe, on 21st July, 2017 at Hotel African, Kampala, Uganda.
The meeting was organized to explore ways and means to facilitate and strengthen Joint Research and Networking as well as to further enhance COMESA/LLPI’s Capacity to Share Best Practices.
The Executive Director of COMESA/LLPI, Prof. Mwinyihija, opened the meeting by welcoming participants and giving a brief talk on LLPI’s endeavors to strengthen research activities for the development of the leather sector in the COMESA region. This was followed by presentations made by Dr. Douglas Onyancha from Dedan Kimathi University of Technology of Kenya, Mrs. Diana Nitamu from Makerere University Business School, Uganda and Prof Londiwe Nkiwane from National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Zimbabwe, respectively, on the following three project areas:
- Identifying the Determinants of the Leather Technology Adoption in Artisan/SMEs Involved in the Leather Footwear and Leather Goods Manufacturing in Kenya;
- The Supply and Demand Implications on the Restriction on Exports of Hides and Skins and Potential Impact on Imports of Second Hand Footwear Ban in East Africa; and
- Leather Products and their Accessories – Formation of a Business Incubation Centre at National University of Science and Technology (NUST).
The presentations were followed by discussions that allowed to appreciate the current status of the research activities of the three projects and make recommendations on the way forward and resource mobilization for the three projects. Participants agreed to come up with tangible results and make next progress report during the 11th Consultative forum that will be held in Livingstone, Zambia in December 2017.
