By Herbert Musoke
KAMPALA – Seeing is believing. The previous best farmer winners will hold an exhibition showcasing their different value-added products during the awarding of the 2024 best farmers.
The 2024 best farmers will be announced today, December 11, 2024, at a ceremony that will take place at the Vision Group head office in Kampala, starting at 2:00pm. A total of 13 new winners will be announced.
The 2024 Best Farmers’ Competition has been running under the theme: Farming as a business.
“We encouraged the previous winners to bring their value-added products because we believe that value addition is an important part of the agriculture chain,” Joshua Kato, co-ordinator of the Harvest Money and Best Farmers Competition, said.
Some of the farmers who will exhibit include; Mukasa Muhawiya who will exhibit rabbits and dragon fruit; Abel Kiddu, a renowned mushroom farmer; Henry Sight Lugoloobi, a dairy farmer; Julius Bigabwa, a fruit farmer, mainly macadamia from which he makes several products such as oils and nuts.
The others are Judith Bakirya, who is into herbs; Nicolas Matsiko who is into machinery; Betty Mbazira, who will exhibit dairy products like yogurt; Ben Amodoi who is into beekeeping; David Wamai who makes coffee products and Hillary Sebayiga who will exhibit dairy products.
The competitions are organised by Vision Group with support from the Embassy of the Netherlands, dfcu Bank, KLM Airlines and Koudijs Nutrition BV. This is the 10th year of the awards since the competition was launched in 2014.
A total of 111 farmers have been rewarded with cash prizes, plus a trip to the Netherlands. The winners will share sh150m in the form of farm inputs.
The overall winner will take sh50m, the first runners-up take sh30m, the second runners-up sh20m and the other seven will share sh50m.
This year, co-operatives and associations will be awarded under the special category where three were selected through a rigorous process by a competent team led by former agriculture minister Victoria Ssekitoleko, Augustine Mwendya, Josephat Byaruhanga, Prof Ogenga Latigo, Dr Emma Naluyima and Davis Mutabarusya.
The 13 winners will join the winners’ association (Uganda Best Farmers Association), which will bring all the winners together to work on their challenges and share experiences.
Don Wanyama, the Vision Group chief executive officer, said as the company plans to make the Harvest Expo more impactful to the farming sector, it will work with the best farmer winners in organising master class training in preparation for the expo.
“We have been getting concerns from people around the country asking us to expand the expos to other regions since we organise it in central. We are, therefore, going to intensify master class training in all the regions and the best farmers will be the hosts or the trainers,” he said.
Kato said everything is set for the awards and winners are expected to exhibit some of their products and share their experiences with the guests.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Bigabwa showcases his products during this year’s Harvest Money Expo at Kololo.
