Overview:
PostBank Uganda and FSME partner to empower coffee farmers with business skills training, boosting quality and market access
A scheme to help Uganda’s coffee farmers improve their business skills and access new markets is bearing fruit.
The Agri-SME Skills Development Programme, run by PostBank Uganda and the Federation of Small and Medium Enterprises (FSME), has trained over 530 entrepreneurs across the country.
The programme focuses on value addition, teaching farmers how to process and package their coffee to meet international standards.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to boost Uganda’s agricultural sector and reduce poverty.
“By empowering entrepreneurs, we’re creating jobs and stimulating economic growth,” said John Walugembe, Executive Director of FSME.
Uganda is one of Africa’s largest coffee producers, but many farmers struggle to make a living due to low prices and limited access to markets.
The Agri-SME Skills Development Programme aims to change that by providing farmers with the skills and knowledge they need to compete in the global market.
“Initially the program targeted to train to over 300 beneficiaries countrywide, but we have surpassed the number and managed to train over 530 participants,” said Martin Lukyamuzi, PostBank Uganda’s Regional Head of Distribution-Greater Kampala.
“By upskilling entrepreneurs in the different economic sectors like agriculture, tourism, manufacturing among others, we are enabling these businesses to boost their operations, which will enable them to produce products and services that meet local and international market standards, improving their market base and tapping into the enormous trade opportunities within the region,” Lukyamuzi added.
The Agri SME Skills Development Program has reached out to entrepreneurs across the country, including Soroti District, where farmers were skilled in millet processing, Fort Portal, where agrotourism best practices were shared, cassava processing and value addition in Arua District, and coffee traders in Kampala, the climax of the 2024 cohort.
The sessions involve a 3-day technical training where the farmers or traders get hands-on learning, gaining knowledge of the entire process, proper post-harvest handling to maintain quality, good manufacturing practices, and an overall approach to value addition on their produce with the required quality so that they can explore regional trade opportunities.
Financial literacy is the highlight of the final training which is guided by PostBank Uganda representatives. Participants are trained in how to manage their finances properly and guided on the different products offered by the bank to support them on their journey as they grow and prosper, which aligns with the bank’s purpose of fostering prosperity for Ugandans.