How Osire found ‘Gold’ in the Soil of Northern Uganda

Omoro, Uganda: In Lakwana village, Omoro District, farming is steadily emerging as a source of opportunity and confidence, driven by the persistence of Osire Pascal, a 47-year-old farmer who has built a growing agricultural enterprise by believing in the value of the land beneath his feet.

Osire is the founder of Modern Agro Spice Farm and MK Modern Organic and Natural Products, ventures focused on crop production and organic human health products. What began as a modest farming effort in 2019 has grown into an operation that has at peak times employed up to 380 workers across the farm and factory, and currently works with 180 farmers drawn from Lango, Teso and Koboko in West Nile.

At Modern Agro Spice Farm, Osire’s primary focus is seed oil crops, particularly sunflowers and soya beans. He currently grows sunflowers on 35 acres, using the Panner variety supplied by Mukwano Industries. He previously planted Aksan 44, known for its high oil content, but shifted after supply constraints.

“The journey has not been easy; it has been rough and tough,” Osire says. “But what matters is not how many times you fall, but how many times you rise up and continue.”

Over time, Osire says he discovered that success in agriculture starts with mindset. He challenges the idea of waiting for the “right time” to begin.

“My message to Africa is that time is now. There is no more time,” he says. “People should forget about underground minerals that have caused so much bloodshed. The real gold is sitting on the surface we are standing on. When you produce, you are producing wealth.”

Osire believes agriculture, not urban centres, holds the key to sustainable income. “There is no money in Kampala,” he says. “The money you use in Kampala comes from here. If we use the land well, money will be in our pockets and in our communities.”

He attributes his progress to passion and consistency, encouraging farmers to start small and remain resilient in the face of failure.

“I became successful because I love what I am doing,” Osire says. “If you fail in one season, that should not stop you from trying again in the next.”

Beyond his own fields, Osire speaks candidly about challenges facing farmers, particularly the design of government interventions. While acknowledging the role of Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), he argues that agricultural programmes must reflect regional strengths.

“What succeeds in western Uganda cannot succeed in the same way in northern Uganda,” he explains. “Here, people are strong in crop farming because the land is fertile. We grow simsim, sorghum, maize, sunflowers and soya beans.”

He advocates for government investment in value addition and local industries, especially cooking oil processing, to bring markets closer to farmers.

“If industries are set up here, farmers will work directly with factories,” he says. “Production increases, and middlemen who cheat farmers are eliminated.”

Osire is also a strong proponent of contract farming, which he says shields farmers from price volatility. “Contract farming guarantees the market,” he notes. “That assurance alone can change a farmer’s life.”

In addition to sunflowers and soya beans, Osire grows Robusta coffee and banana (gonja), challenging long-held beliefs that coffee cannot thrive in northern Uganda. “Coffee can do well here if it is well managed,” he says. “The problem is not location, but knowledge.”

Climate change, particularly prolonged drought, remains a major obstacle. To mitigate this, Osire invested in irrigation infrastructure, which he also shares with neighbouring farmers.

Although he did not benefit from government support through the Ministry of Water and Environment, he pressed on regardless. “I did not get that support, but I kept moving,” he says.

Osire has also invested heavily in learning and exposure. During a visit to the Netherlands, he met Uganda’s Ambassador to Brussels, Mirjam Blaakso, who linked him to Dutch researchers. The experts have since visited his farm to support soil testing, water retention strategies and technology adoption. Locally, he works closely with Daniel Mugisha, a crop health expert from Agape Innovator.

For Osire Pascal, farming is more than a business; it is a pathway to community transformation and long-term prosperity. “The sky is not the limit,” he says. “It is the beginning.”