Experts urge smallholder farmers to embrace mechanisation at Harvest Money Expo

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During the 10th edition of the Harvest Money Expo held at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds from February 27 to March 1, smallholder farmers were urged to embrace mechanisation to cut losses and boost profits on their farms.

Running under the theme Farming as a Business, hundreds of farmers participated in hands-on sessions focused on post-harvest handling, irrigation and labour-saving technologies.

The Expo was made possible by Vision Group and its partners, Tunga Nutrition, Engineering Solutions (ENGSOL), Uganda Development Corporation (UDC), aBi Development, Pearl Bank, Heifer International, Roke Telkom, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).

Post-harvest losses under the spotlight

One of the key concerns raised was persistent post-harvest losses due to poor drying and storage practices. Berna Namanya, a sales representative at Riela Africa, said many farmers incur losses not because of low production, but because of poor handling after harvest.

“Farmers making losses in production should consider using post-harvest technologies such as dryers, silos and shellers to address food loss,” she said. She explained that modern drying systems not only reduce losses, but also improve grain quality to meet export standards.

“The quality of grain is often below international standards because of poor drying systems and storage. When you dry properly, you improve yields, maintain quality and position yourself for export markets,” she noted.

According to her, mechanisation saves time and significantly cuts labour costs.

“Work that would require five to 10 workers can be handled by one or two people using machines. That reduces labour costs and increases efficiency,” she said.

For small-scale farmers, she recommended starting with affordable multi-purpose equipment. Manual hand shellers, for example, cost about sh400,000 and can shell up to four bags a day. Larger automatic feed dispensers for livestock can cost up to sh9m, depending on capacity.

Irrigation key to climate resilience

Beyond post-harvest handling, irrigation equipment emerged as another priority, particularly amid unpredictable weather patterns.

Fredrick Kisitu, a sales representative at KF Agricultural Suppliers, said irrigation systems, including nozzles, solar pumps and weeding machines, are increasingly on demand.

“The equipment required depends on the size of the farm and the distance from the water source,” he explained.

For a one-acre farm, a complete irrigation system, including a pump, pipes and nozzles, costs about sh1.5m. Prices range from sh1m upwards, depending on acreage and installation requirements.

“These machines save time and labour. Instead of employing five to 10 workers, you might only need one or two people to manage operations,” he said.

With erratic seasons affecting harvest cycles, modern drying systems, storage facilities and irrigation technologies are proving critical in stabilising production and income.

As Uganda pushes for commercial agriculture, the tools to transform farming from subsistence to profitability are increasingly within reach.