Dutch ambassador hails Best Farmers’ Competition, Harvest Money Expo

KAMPALA - Frederieke Quispel, the ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, has commended Vision Group's Best Farmers Competition and Harvest Money Expo.

She said the two initiatives are the best collaboration that the Netherlands Embassy has in Uganda.

“I am happy with this collaboration, and when I had just come in the country [July 2024], I spoke to one of my predecessors and he told me that this is the best collaboration that we have," said Quispel.

Frederieke Quispel, the ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands said Best Farmers’ Competition and Harvest Money Expo are the best collaboration that the Netherlands Embassy has in Uganda. (Credit: Eddie Ssejjoba)

She assured Vision Group's top management that she will work to see that this partnership rises to an even bigger scale.

The ambassador was Friday (November 15) interacting with the multimedia company's top managers led by managing director and chief executive Don Wanyama, who paid a courtesy visit to the embassy headquarters in Nakasero, Kampala.

Wanyama was accompanied by Barbara Kaija (editor-in-chief), Hope Nuwagaba (head of sales), Lorraine Tukahirwa (head of marketing and communications), John Eremu (New Vision editor), among others.

Quispel interacts with Vision Group managing director and chief executive Don Wanyama (R) during his visit at the embassy headquarters in Nakasero, Kampala on Friday. (Credit: Eddie Ssejjoba)

Josephat Byaruhanga, a senior policy officer for agriculture at the Netherlands Embassy, attended the engagement.

The Best Farmers Competition — held annually since 2014 — is sponsored by the Netherlands Embassy, dfcu Bank, KLM Airlines and Koudjis Animal Nutrition. 

The embassy also sponsors the annual Harvest Money Expo that takes place every February, with a Dutch Village, where companies doing business with the Netherlands exhibit from, one of the main attractions.

Quispel (6th L), Vision Group Editor-in-Chief Barbara Kaija (5th L), Wanyama (4th R), and other Vision Group staff after the interaction at the embassy headquarters in Nakasero, Kampala on Friday. (Credit: Eddie Ssejjoba)

“I can honestly tell you that we will continue with it [the collaboration]. Though many things are changing with our government shifting our approach, food security is one of our priorities and these two programmes remain as one of our priorities," said Ambassador Quispel.

“It is not about people having enough of what to eat but also to feed the world, and to have enough food to feed the world, you need the farmers."

She admittedly enjoys visiting Dutch companies that are involved in doing agrobusiness as well as Uganda companies.

Wanyama interacts with Quispel as he gifts the ambassador one of the harvest money magazines. (Credit: Eddie Ssejjoba)

“For me, what I love most is how we can connect to small-holder farmers,” said Quispel, adding that it is critical for such farmers to have food security, income security and nutrition security.

To her, it is about smallholder farmers being able to have an income to provide for their families and to have access to the market.

“I love seeing smallholder farmers eventually become best farmers and can come to the Netherlands and grow their businesses and in the meantime provide market with quality and quantity."

Quispel, Wanyama, and Kaija interact after their fruitful engagement at embassy headquarters in Nakasero, Kampala on Friday. (Credit: Eddie Ssejjoba)

Medium and large enterprises can also help in value addition.

The ambassador said that value addition, which President Yoweri Museveni regularly emphasizes, will eventually boost Uganda’s economy.

On his part, CEO Wanyama said Vision Group appreciates all the support it has received from the embassy, adding that since the collaboration started, it has been an exciting and informative journey.

He said the endorsement the company receives from the many farmers and thousands of people who turn up for the annual Harvest Money Expo, as well as the government officials who appreciate this contribution, could not have been possible without the immerse support it receives from the embassy.

Wanyama stated that the expo has since grown to the extent of drawing exhibitors from different parts of the world.

 "Because of your support and involvement, especially for the Harvest Money Expo, it has got an international dimension to it, the fact that we have exhibitors coming in from the Netherlands and other parts of the World,” he said.