By Nelson Mandela Muhoozi
The Agribusiness Development Centre (ADC) in partnership with dfcu Limited and Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) have awarded over 50 SACCO beneficiaries with certificates after completing a 13-week training in financial literacy and management, good governance and agriculture marketing.
The training aimed at teaching and certifying the members of Mabira Coffee Cooperative Society and SAO – Ngogwe Savings and Credit Cooperative Ltd on ways to grow their SACCOS financial base and members’ agribusinesses.
The training module included business planning, cash-flow modelling, coaching and mentor-ship following international best practices that guarantee enterprise growth.
“In a bid to become self-sufficient and bankable these farmers were taught how to add value and source markets for their products. Some of those that were awarded are co-operatives that are selling in bulk and this helps the farmers bargain for a better price,” Sharon Kalanzi, the ADC Central business advisor during the training, said on December 15, 2022.
She added: “Our intention going forward is to continue involving more stakeholders so that together we train and link more farmers to the market and finance so that we contribute to at least 10 % increase in income of the 50% trained people per year.”
“We were scattered and unco-ordinated in our operations, a challenge that affected our SACCOS’ growth for years. We have been selling our coffee independently at low prices so our incomes do not reflect in the years we have spent in the trade,” a beneficiary, Wilberforce Kisimbira, the chairperson of Mabira Coffee Cooperative Society, said.
“This training has opened our eyes,” he added.
Katumba Lazarus, the vice chairperson of SAO – Ngogwe Savings and Credit Cooperative Ltd, said their SACCOS needed help in governance, especially regarding the roles of both the board of directors and its management.
Charles Buvuma Nkugwa noted that UCDA is proud to partner with organisations like ADC to achieve shared goals in the Coffee Roadmap of Uganda.
“It saves us money, labour and time during field operations with each stakeholder focusing on its most productive role at every value chain, these SACCOS are growing knowledge,” he said.
According to ADC, the objective of the training is to be able to contribute directly to some of the SDGs 8 – Decent work and economic growth; and 17- Partnerships for goals.
