How dfcu Bank is deepening agricultural financing through best farmers’ competition

At the gleaming De Heus Uganda SMC Ltd animal nutrition plant in Njeru, industry leaders, policymakers, and farmers gathered Tuesday, 24^th March 2026 to launch the 12th edition of Uganda’s flagship agricultural initiative, the Best Farmers Competition.

Now anchored under the Vision Initiative for Sustainable Agriculture (VISA), the competition is evolving into a platform designed to accelerate Uganda’s journey from subsistence farming to a commercially driven agricultural economy.

Backed by a €1 million (Shs4.1 billion) grant from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Uganda, this year’s edition is being positioned as the most ambitious yet, both in scale and strategic intent.

For over a decade, the competition, spearheaded by Vision Group in partnership with dfcu Bank, KLM, and Koudijs, has celebrated excellence at the farm level. But the 2026 edition signals a deeper ambition: strengthening the entire agricultural value chain.

“This year’s theme speaks directly to where Uganda’s agriculture must go,” said Mathias Jumba. “From the farm gate to supermarket shelves, every link must be strong. At dfcu, we are committed to financing every link in that chain.”

The theme, Farming as a Business: Growth, Commercialization and Cooperatives, underscores a growing consensus: agriculture must be treated not as a livelihood fallback, but as a structured, scalable enterprise.

With roots dating back to 1964, dfcu Bank says its involvement in the competition reflects a long-standing mandate to drive Uganda’s development through enterprise support.

“When this initiative was launched in 2014, we immediately recognised its potential,” Jumba noted. “Twelve editions later, we have evidence that farming is not subsistence, it is business.”

Beyond financing, the competition offers participating farmers access to profiling, mentorship, and national visibility, assets that industry players say are as valuable as the prizes themselves.

A Proven Impact Model

According to Don Wanyama, the CEO of Vision Group, the competition has already delivered measurable impact across Uganda’s agricultural landscape.

Since its inception, it has rewarded 137 farmers nationwide, with winners benefiting from exposure trips to the Netherlands and over Shs1.6 billion in cumulative cash prizes. These funds have largely been reinvested into farm mechanization and technology upgrades.

“This is not just about celebrating farmers, it is about transforming them,” Wanyama said. “We are seeing real improvements in farming processes, productivity, and business orientation.”

The competition’s national structure, dividing Uganda into sub-regions to ensure inclusive representation, has also helped extend modern farming practices to less developed agricultural zones.

“Even regions where farming was not advanced are beginning to pick up. That is the power of peer learning,” he added.

A central focus of this year’s edition is revitalizing Uganda’s cooperative movement. Despite having over 30,000 registered cooperatives, many remain inactive or poorly managed.

By spotlighting high-performing cooperatives and rewarding them with international exposure, organizers hope to reignite collective farming models that can drive scale, bargaining power, and market access.

“In developed agricultural economies, cooperatives are the backbone,” Wanyama explained. “We want to inspire that same model here.”

Global Partnerships, Local Impact

For the Netherlands, a long-time partner in Uganda’s agricultural transformation, the competition represents more than just recognition, it is a gateway to global exposure and innovation.

Representing the Dutch mission, Andrew Byaruhanga emphasized the long-term value of international exchange.

“Taking farmers to the Netherlands exposes them to new technologies, partnerships, and practices,” he said. “It is about building a new generation of innovative, commercially minded farmers.”

The partnership has already delivered tangible results. Koudijs Uganda, whose roots trace back to earlier engagements with Dutch partners, is now exporting fish feed to regional markets.

“We have just made our first exports to Tanzania and Kenya, and more countries will follow,” said Guido Stevens, the Country Manager  Koudijs Uganda SMC Ltd. “This is about strengthening the entire ecosystem around farmers—local production, reliable inputs, and reduced dependence on imports.”

Farmers as Enterprises

For past winners like Dr. Emma Naluyima, the message is clear: the future belongs to farmers who operate like businesses.

“Farmers must be bankable, keep records, and be visitor-ready,” she said. “Whether as individuals, groups, or cooperatives, they must embrace knowledge, mentorship, and financial discipline.”

She urged farmers to leverage platforms like VISA and the dfcu Foundation to access training, financing, and technical support.

The 2026 competition will see 13 outstanding farmers selected through a rigorous national process, each winning a share of Shs150 million and an all-expenses-paid trip to the Netherlands.

But beyond the prizes, stakeholders say the real value lies in redefining Uganda’s agricultural identity. And through the Best Farmers Competition, Uganda is not just rewarding excellence—it is engineering it. As Jumba put it: “When you invest in farmers, you are investing in Uganda’s future.”