Bwerenga, Entebbe, Uganda, 14th March 2023 – dfcu Bank in partnership with Vision Group, The Netherlands Embassy in Uganda, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Koudijs B.V Nutrition have launched the 2023 edition of the Best Farmers Awards, under the theme “Farming as a Business.”
The launch of the Awards took place at One Acre Unlimited Farm located in Bwerenga, a farm owned by Ssalongo Washington Mugerwa and Betty Kasabiti Mbazira. Mbazira was the overall winner of the 2018 Best Farmers Awards.
Welcoming guests and members of the media to the farm, Mugerwa, applauded the Best Farmers’ sponsors and shared the impact of the initiative on their lives.
“Courtesy of the knowledge and farming skills my wife got from the learning trip that the winners of the Best Farmers Awards took to The Netherlands, we have opened up an agricultural school where we mentor and train the younger generation about modern farming,” he said.
Jude Kansiime, Head of Marketing at dfcu Bank, emphasized the Bank’s commitment to supporting the agricultural sector in Uganda, based on its importance to the country’s economic development.
Kansiime also expressed optimism about the potential for growth in the sector, “…with the right investments in technology, research, and infrastructure.”
“The Best Farmers’ Awards recognize and promote excellence in farming practices; showcasing best practices, innovations, and technologies in agriculture to encourage more farmers to adopt these practices. As a financial institution that is an enabler of socio-economic development, dfcu Bank has designed a range of financial products and services specifically for farmers to help them grow their businesses and increase their productivity,” he added.
“On behalf of dfcu Bank, we are honoured to be part of yet another edition of the Best Farmers Awards, and we wish all of this year’s participants the best of luck,” Kansiime concluded.
Don Wanyama, the CEO of Vision Group, spoke about the success of the Best Farmers competition, with over 90 farmers from across the country having been awarded so far. He thanked the partners for their support and emphasized the transformative impact of the competition on the farmers who have travelled to The Netherlands to learn and consequently, apply the learning to their own farming projects when they come back home.
“Besides providing travelling, learning, and recognition, this competition also comes with a cash prize for the winners. We have so far given out Shs 1.2 billion as a financial reward to the farmers, largely to help them acquire equipment and technology to be able to improve their farming practices,” he said.
Concluding his remarks, he noted that The Best Farmers 2023 Edition is open to all farmers, with a transparent judging process. The top participants will win cash prizes and a fully paid learning trip to The Netherlands.
The launch event ended with an exciting tour of the One Acre Unlimited farm, where the event attendees learned more about commercial piggery farming.