Overview:
Research shows that more than 70 percent of the members in participating cooperatives are women, emphasizing the program's role in advancing inclusive growth.
MUBENDE, Uganda — Stanbic Bank Uganda and the Buganda Kingdom have established a strategic partnership to formalize coffee value chains and expand credit access for farmer cooperatives.
The initiative, launched Monday at the Mayors Gardens in Mubende Municipality, introduces Ssemaduuka, a business center designed to transition rural farmers from subsistence production to commercial agribusiness.
Tunde Thorpe, head of business and commercial banking at Stanbic Bank, said the partnership represents a move toward structured economic support. He noted that Ssemaduuka allows the bank to finance the entire agricultural process, from the purchase of seeds and fertilizers to final export.
The program is implemented through the Buganda Cultural and Development Foundation. Under the model, the foundation will recommend qualifying savings and credit cooperative organizations for banking support. Approved cooperatives will then receive structured credit facilities to improve productivity and governance.
Robert Waggwa Nsibirwa, the Buganda Kingdom second deputy premier and minister for finance, said the partnership is a transformative step toward modernizing agriculture across the kingdom. He urged residents to embrace the initiative to ensure household self-reliance.
Agriculture is the backbone of our people’s prosperity, Nsibirwa said. He added that the goal is to ensure wealth reaches farmers directly in their gardens through improved infrastructure and market access.
The formalization process includes digitizing transactions through Stanbic’s One Farm platform. Emmanuel Naigombe, head of agribusiness at Stanbic Bank, said this digital shift will enable trade finance solutions that support the flow of exports. Farmers will also have access to dedicated stores for quality inputs and aggregation centers to link their produce with organized buyers.
The project specifically targets the challenges faced by farmers like 57-year-old Frank Nyanzi, who has struggled with coffee wilt disease and volatile climate conditions. Nyanzi said the lack of reliable financing has historically limited his ability to invest in irrigation and quality inputs.
By formalizing these chains, the bank and the kingdom aim to create a resilient enterprise model for the rural economy. Research shows that more than 70 percent of the members in participating cooperatives are women, emphasizing the program’s role in advancing inclusive growth.
Stanbic Bank officials said the initiative aligns with the bank’s long-term commitment to driving growth in Uganda as it approaches 35 years of operation in 2026.