Best Farmers bring Dutch farming tips home

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When KLM flight left Entebbe Airport on Saturday night, seated among the passengers were the 2024 best farmers.

The group, that was flagged off on October 2, at dfcu Bank offices in Kampala were travelling for their learning tour of the Netherlands. They will return on October 11.

As the giant plane landed at Amsterdam Schippol Airport, a peep through the hazy windows showed expansive farms, green houses and moderate roofs of factories.

Nandudu talking to Mart Steenhuis of Fleur de cafe.

The farmers realised that this was a country that does a combination of agriculture and agro-processing.

The Netherlands is particularly strong in livestock, horticulture, but also import a lot of coffee which is processed and repackaged for the market.

The best farmers competition is organised by Vision Group with sponsorship from the Embassy of the Netherlands, dfcu Bank, KLM Airlines and Koudjis Nutrition BV.

Kwesiga (left) and Kanyije giving a gift to one of their hosts.

The 13 who travelled included Prof. Paul Kibwika (overall winner), Brenda Tusiime (1st runner up from Kabarole), Meridah Nandudu (2nd runners up from Bulambuli), Abbas Sekajja from Wakiso/Luwero.

Others are Tom Okao from Lira, Janny Oyella from Gulu, Joyce Omiat from Bukedea, Emmanuella Oroma from Nebbi, Allen Atuhaire from Sheema, Joseph Nkandu from NUCAFE, Godfrey Bwaya from Elgon Coffee Growers, Apollo Gabazira from Iganga, Martha Matovu Namabiro from DAFAN.

They were joined by two self-paying agriprenuers James Kanyije of and Pius Kwesiga of Nile Fresh. Since the competition started in 2014, there has been 121 winners.

A week of discoveries

Michel Hillen from Emerging Markets for Africa, who were contracted by the government of the Netherlands to host the farmers, said on arrival on Sunday morning, the people were treated to a boat ride around Amsterdam city, taking in the historical buildings.

Later in the evening, they had a welcome dinner at a Chinese restaurant. On Monday morning, the group visited the Koudjis/De Heus processing facility.

Koudjis, processors of livestock feeds are one of the sponsors of the best farmers competition. With a big share of the feeds sector in Uganda, De Heus recently opened up a fish feeds processing factor in Njeru, near Jinja.

The highlight of this visit was the fact that there were Ugandan products under test at the state of the art laboratory in Netherlands.

“We shall be using a lot of Ugandan raw materials and silver fish (mukene) is one of them,” Johan Verhoek, the Africa manager, Koudjis Nutrition BV explained.

Other products include soya, maize and sunflower.

“I was impressed by the efficiency of the system at the Koudjis factory. There are very few workers, but everything goes on well,” Allen Atuhaire from Sheema said.

On Tuesday morning, the farmers were divided into four groups; the coffee farmers visited We Wonder company, the dairy group visited Ante BV— a company that fabricates dairy processing equipment, the poultry group visited Vencomatic Poultry Equipment, while the crops group visited Tijms Irrigtion and mechanization.

“At the coffee companies, we got vital information about markets and quality of our coffee,” Nkandu from said.

Both companies import Ugandan coffee, but are also engaged in sell of processing equipment.

On Tuesday afternoon, the coffee group visited a coffee roaster, the poultry group visited Angel Eggs Hatchery while the crops farming group visited a bio gas company.

In the evening of Tuesday, the farmers got a special visitor, Mirjam Blaak, the Ugandan ambassador to Netherlands.

“I implore you not just to see, but to take positive lessons home,” she told the farmers. She said although Netherlands is a small country, the size of Buganda, it is the second leading exporter of agriculture products after the U.S.

“This is because they don’t stop innovating,” she said.

On Wednesday, the farmers engaged in practical on farm training at different farms. The training was done in conjunction with PUM experts.

The dairy group visited Friesland which is the heart of Dutch dairy farming where they will be given tips in dairy management.

The poultry group visited Limburg while the coffee group visited Goslings.

On Thursday, the farmers once again came together in a match making session in the morning. During the session, the farmers were able to network with possible partners in business in the Netherlands. In the afternoon, the farmers went for sight seeing.

Today, Friday, the farmers visited Insect Engineers, before going for sight seeing and shopping. The farmers return tomorrow, Saturday.