By Johnisani Ocakacon and Hope Mafaranga
Agri-entrepreneurship is enabling students to finance their education, become self-reliant, and create employment opportunities for fellow youth, effectively tackling poverty.
Aron Sande, a student at Gulu University pursuing a bachelor of science in agri-entrepreneurship and communication management, started a vegetable seedling business in April 2023 to address his tuition challenges.
Utilising his skills, he began selling seedlings to farmers in the Acholi sub-region.
How he started
“I initiated this project after acquiring skills from the Skilling in Agripreneurship for Increased Youth Employment (SAY) Project by the AVSI Foundation in partnership with Gulu University. This training aimed at shifting youth mindsets about farming and promoting self-employment after graduation,” Sande explains.
The SAY project is funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. With an initial investment of sh80,000 from his parents, Sande began raising seedlings to meet the high demand for vegetable crops in the region.
“Farmers here struggle with raising quality seedlings, so I seized the opportunity to fill that gap by selling affordable seedlings and providing the community with seedling management training,” he says.
Using university land, Sande grows tomatoes, eggplants and onions, among others.
Earnings
Sande earns about sh1m monthly, which covers his tuition. He has two employees, paying them between sh100,000 and 150,000 monthly.
Currently, he has over 80,000 seedlings ready for sale.
Achievements
Sande has also opened an agro-shop near the Gulu University main campus, selling agro-products.
Additionally, he has leased three acres in the community to grow onions, cabbages, and eggplants, funded by his seedling business.
Meanwhile, Steward Rubangakene, a Gulu University student, runs a bakery.
The profits from this venture support his tuition and sustain his business.
“I make a monthly profit of sh800,000 after expenses and employ two people to assist me while I study. This has significantly contributed to my business growth,” he says.
Loice Caroline Apiyo, with a master’s degree in agriculture from Gulu University, started a fruit juice business, making juices from jambula, tamarind, mango, and pineapple.
Apiyo produces and sells 300-500 bottles of juice daily in the Acholi sub-region.
Christopher Mugaga, the acting head of the department of food science and technology at Gulu University, says: “The university trains students and the community in bakery and juice-making, promoting self-reliance.”
Dr Collins Okello, the dean of the faculty of agriculture and environment at Gulu University, says: “With support from the project, we train students and the community in horticulture, mushroom production, beekeeping, and poultry rearing.”
Other views
Samuel Lagu, the deputy Gulu Chief Administrative Officer, acknowledges the project’s impact on youth self-reliance and employment.
“The project has significantly reduced poverty levels in post-war Gulu district by engaging youth in agricultural production,” he says.
Prof. George Openjuru, the Gulu University Vice-Chancellor, advocates for practical skills over theoretical education.
“Education should prepare youth for work, not just jobs. The competence-based curriculum at O’level will foster this mindset change, preparing students as job creators,” he explains.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Gulu University students peeling mangoes to make juice.
