By Herbert Musoke
The 2023 best farmers winners have been asked to become ambassadors of agricultural transformation by learning from the best in the world and implementing it on their farms.
The 13 winners will be setting off on October 12, 2024, to the Netherlands where they will visit farmers, experts, farm input companies like Koudijs BV and dealers among others to learn and also make business connections.
The 13 winners include; Henry Sight Lugoloobi, Pamella Bakkabulindi, Mahawiyah Mukasa, Martin Kananura, Ruta Sebastian Ngambwa, Agnes Akello, Patrick Kyakulaga, Simon Amajuru Madraru, Paul Owor, Fiona Birungi Acayo, Bosco Otto, Phoebe Kusiima Kagambe, Solomon Moses Odong.
The embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands organized an orientation training at Forest Cottages in Naggulu, Kampala which was facilitated by Asigma Capital advisory services.
The winners were equipped with interpersonal skills that will help them present themselves well to their possible business partners.
Josephat Byaruhanga, a senior adviser on agriculture and agribusiness at the Netherlands embassy in Uganda, said that the Best Farmer competition opens doors for the winners to expand their horizons in the business space by making business partners with the best.
“Being chosen as the best farmer means you are representing Uganda in the agricultural sector to meet with the best farming community in the world because despite the Netherlands being a very small country, it is the second-best agricultural country in the world,” Byaruhanga says.
This, therefore, presents numerous business opportunities for both Uganda and the Netherlands.
“As we travel to the Netherlands, we must go with open minds to see, learn and copy as much as we can and then implement what we will have come back with to not only foster transformation on our farms but the communities around us and the country at large,” he said.
