The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Horticultural farmers in the Bunyoro region have entered a joint venture with local exporter KK Foods to supply fresh produce to Western Europe, including the United Kingdom, in a move expected to boost rural incomes and strengthen Uganda’s presence in international agricultural markets.
The partnership brings together members of the Albertine Farmers Association (AFA), who are beneficiaries of a capacity-building programme implemented by Stanbic Business Incubator Limited (SBIL). Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with KK Foods, the farmers will initially focus on exporting hot pepper and chilli, with plans to expand into other high-value crops over time.
Speaking at the launch held at the Ageteraine Agro-Processing Facility in Hoima City, AFA Chairperson Julius Kwamya said the initiative marks a key step in commercialising farmers’ production.
“We agreed to start with hot pepper and chilli for now, but we will scale to other enterprises. We believe this is an opportunity for growth, in different aspects because hot pepper and chilli have a high turnover, moreover with a short-term period in the garden.”
Kwamya noted that demand for such products in Europe is rising, driven by changing consumer tastes and increased culinary diversity. Key import destinations include France, Spain, Germany, and the UK.
The export arrangement is a direct outcome of an August 2025 training programme that equipped more than 30 farmers under the Albertine Agribusiness Development Programme (ADP), implemented by SBIL in partnership with the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC).
Kwamya added that AFA membership currently stands at 1,930 farmers, with ambitions to grow to 10,000 by 2026, although he cited limited agricultural extension services as a major constraint to productivity.
Stanbic Business Incubator Chief Executive Catherine Poran welcomed the development, saying it reflects the success of linking farmers to markets.
“It is so good to see that farmers are putting theory to life. We are seeing farmers being linked to markets. It is one thing for farmers to grow food, but it is another to link them to markets, and see the fruits of their labour.”
KK Foods Production Manager Nicholas Atukwase said the export market presents significant opportunities but requires consistency and scale.
“We need those products to be at least 50 tonnes per week. Farmers will benefit, because there is a lot of demand for products like chilli and hot pepper. As farmers, all they need to uphold are the pillars of quality, quantity, consistency, meet customer requirements, and regulatory guidelines.”
Charles Kajura, Hoima District Production Officer, said farmer certification and traceability systems will be key to sustaining exports, while also addressing limited extension services through group-based training and community facilitators to improve efficiency.
