By Sarah Nabakooza
The Uganda National Farmers Federation, in collaboration with MobiPay Agrosys Ltd, Innovation Village and Mastercard Inc., has embarked on a journey towards digital empowerment for farmers.
With a focus on innovation and accessibility, this initiative has so far equipped over 500 farmers with essential digital skills through hands-on training sessions where participants are not only gaining proficiency in digital tools but also receiving tangible resources to propel their agricultural endeavours forward.
The organisers said this initiative, which was geared towards addressing the challenges faced by farmers, is currently making waves in the eastern region specifically in Mbale, Jinja, following successful implementations in the north, Rwenzori, and Albertine regions last month.
An activation workshop held from June 10-12 at the Mbale Courts in the city, organised by the federation and its partners, introduced farmers to this initiative, the Mobi Pay Agrobase platform and Community Pass technology.
Speaking to farmers and stakeholders, Daudi Ssentongo, a team lead from federation said: “Bringing together agricultural stakeholders like today is essential where their participation ensures that our digitalisation efforts are relevant and effectively meet the needs of farmers.”
He added that it is through this collective approach that the unique challenges faced by farming communities can be addressed and also tailoring solutions that will drive sustainable growth.
Fredrick Mpaata, the programme manager at Innovation Village, noted that: “Digital solutions are the future of agriculture and by collaborating, we can modernise this sector, enhance efficiency and support farmers in adopting new technologies.”
He emphasised that the innovation is committed to driving this digital transformation and ensuring sustainable development with a goal to create an ecosystem where innovation thrives and farmers are empowered with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed.
Tom Waimaga Kasadah, Jinja’s district production officer, highlighted the potential impact, saying: “Digitising the agricultural value chain can significantly boost productivity and improve livelihoods in the eastern region.
Kasadah noted that it is crucial for farmers to embrace platforms like Mobi Pay Agrobase to fully harness these benefits and by adopting these technologies, inefficiencies can be reduced and transparency increased.
Bridging the gap
Eric Kwabena Agyei, the managing director of Mobipay Uganda, said the platform supports farmers.
“The Mobipay Agrobase platform is designed to bridge the gap for last-mile farmers, offering essential services such as access to quality inputs, market information, and financial services.
He added that their next steps involve expanding reach to ensure that more farmers across Uganda can benefit from this digital revolution with commitment to continuous innovation and improvement to meet the evolving needs of farmers, helping them achieve greater financial stability and agricultural productivity.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: One of the organisers of the training registering the beneficiaries in eastern Uganda recently.
