The department provides technical information on machinery sources and costs, and best manufacturing practices for SMEs and industrialists. This department consists of; meat, dairy, bakery fruit and vegetables, business incubation and all visual incubation centers of UIRI. This directorate commercializes prototype pilot production of new and improved products.

It undertakes to increase capacity and product varieties of processing industries with strong forward and back linkages, partial or complete processing of raw materials on products in order to sell them as semi-finished or finished products (value addition), undertaking technological identification, testing and recommendation for application by entrepreneurs, provision of quality assurance services to the enterprises through laboratory testing and field monitoring. It also Conducts market surveys to determine customers/consumers to enable the products be competitive in the market without losses in the business.

Other Services offered by the Directorate

• Designing production facilities, advice in selection of suitable production equipment and tools and provide supervision during installation.
• Conducting applied research programmes relevant to the needs of the SMEs resulting into production benefits like value addition, cost reduction, quality up-grading, and process development.
• Upgrading and developing processing technologies that promote the production of high quality food products.
• Providing technical advice as well as consultancy services to start-ups in the food and bamboo industries and those already in business

SMEs / BUSINESS INCUBATION

UIRI’s Business Incubation programme is a sustainable model for incubating processing companies mostly in but not limited to agricultural products. UIRIs vision is to be a model institution and a centre of excellence for incubation of industry. As the Directorate is still working on the appropriate model, incubation is growing and taking its place at the institute.

Interested parties apply through the Executive Director, indicating their interests.