Buyende, Uganda: Greater Kamuli Agribusiness Farmers’ Cooperative Society Ltd has intensified efforts to modernise cassava production and value addition, positioning itself as a leading hub for structured aggregation and agro-processing in Eastern Uganda.
The push for transformation was underscored during an interactive field visit by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Uganda, Frederieke Quispel, and officials from the Inspire Project to the cooperative’s cassava hub in Buyende District.
Speaking during the visit, Greater Kamuli AgriBusiness Cooperative Savings Society Vice Chairperson Christine Isanga Kimbugwe said the practice of drying cassava and grains along tarmacked roads reflects deeper challenges in post-harvest handling and access to modern inputs.
“When locals dry their produce on the tarmac, they are not misusing it but indirectly sending a message — a call for better post-harvest handling and prospective inputs,” she noted.
She highlighted persistent challenges including declining soil fertility, low yields, pests and disease outbreaks but emphasised that mindset change is taking root, with farmers increasingly embracing agriculture as a business and adopting modern technologies.
“We need to move away from rain-based to irrigation agriculture, strengthen and prioritise food safety, post-harvest handling and market financing to enhance the entire agricultural value chain,” she said.
Kimbugwe also advocated for stronger participation of women and youth as a pathway to economic liberation, poverty reduction and household stability, noting progress in producing aflatoxin-free produce and building market linkages.
Dutch Call for Collective Action
Ambassador Quispel challenged farmers to adopt modern farming methods and leverage technology, observing that despite Uganda’s favourable agro-ecological conditions and two growing seasons, food insecurity and malnutrition remain concerns.
“Agriculture remains central to economic development. Although you are endowed with favourable agro-ecological conditions that support year-round food production, this has not been fully exploited,” she said.
She urged farmers to work collectively through cooperatives to enhance productivity, food security and transformation of the food system.
Gerrit Holtland, Team Leader of Inspire, called on farmer groups to strengthen production, processing, storage and access to affordable credit, stressing the importance of building resilient farming systems and expanding small-scale irrigation.
“Have guarantee contracts and ensure partners are committed in their support so that they don’t run away at the slightest disaster,” Holtland advised.
Cooperative Model Driving Change
Presenting the cooperative’s progress report, SACCO Chairperson Mohamoud Mukaaya said many farmers previously struggled due to low yields, unpredictable weather and exploitation by middlemen.
“We had hardworking farmers earning little. Real change came when we united, accepted to work together and gained strength in negotiation. We are now growing cassava as both a food and cash crop,” he said.
Mukaaya revealed that the 620-member cooperative operates a structured aggregation system and supplies cassava under formal contract to De Heus Uganda Ltd, a Dutch animal feed manufacturer, where cassava is used as an input.
He disclosed plans to establish certified cassava seed multiplication centres, scale up value addition and processing, and introduce digital traceability systems.
“We are destined to be Uganda’s leading cassava hub. Partnership is the future. Agriculture is not about surviving but thriving,” he added.
The Greater Kamuli Agribusiness Farmers’ Cooperative Society Ltd operates across 402 villages and 112 zones within Buyende Town Council, promoting sustainable agriculture, community development and improved livelihoods through strategic partnerships and capacity building.
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