Farmers’ organization embarks on equipping small-scale farmers with business skills

The Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers Forum (ESAFF) Uganda has embarked on training farmers to become business-oriented.

The farmer’s forum through the Agroecology Business Hub project intends to empower small-scale farmers with business skills like financial risk management, book records and business enterprise selection, among others.

Masudio Margaret, the Vice Chairperson of EASFF Uganda, said the business tools will help the smallholder farmers to become more agro-enterprises oriented hence improving their livelihoods.

“The Agroecology Business Hub is here to support small-scale farmers, especially farmers dealing in the production of organic agricultural products, with business-oriented skills,” she said, adding, “We hope that when our farmers embrace Agro business related Enterprises their live hoods will be improved.”

Masudio made the remakes during the official opening of the training for farmers’ groups from ten districts that gathered in Kampala for the agroecological agribusiness training.

Through the Agroecology Business Hub, small-scale farmers were also empowered to create agroecological businesses that promote environmental conservation and elevate economic growth.

The Agroecology Business Hub also supports small-scale farmers to improve their resilience and adaptability in the face of climate change deepening their conservation with the environment as they are positioned as guardians of the Economic ecosystem.

The farmers’ groups were from Mubende, Nebbi, Adjuman, and Kasese among other districts. The farmers’ groups are dealing in agro-processing especially tomatoes, bananas, juice making, and fertilizer production among other agricultural enterprises.

Andrew Adem, the Programs Manager at ESAFF Uganda, said the training will empower more farmers with business skills hence supporting the development of agro-based Small and Medium Enterprises.

Adem said many small-scale farmers are still poor because they have not ventured into agro-based enterprises due to various factors such as access to finance and poor record keeping among other factors.

Speaking on behalf of the farmers, John Sebuufu from the Kulika Organic Processors in Nakasongola district applauded ESAFF Uganda for coming up with the training program.

“As Farmers, we have been offered the platform to present our business ideas network with other farmers and some of us had the opportunity to advertise our products and businesses,” he said.