Judges cite agriculture sector’s big challenges

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On November 10, 2025, a team of the Best Farmers competition judges, including Prof. Ogenga Latigo and Augustine Mwendya, set out from Mbale to Bududa district’s mountain ranges to assess a nominee.

Their journey was cut short by landslides and treacherous roads — a stark reminder of a deeper problem.

The same bad road network that stopped the judges also hampers farmers daily, limiting the transportation of coffee and bogoya, the region’s most produced commodities.

This reality reflects broader challenges in Uganda’s agriculture sector.

According to the Best Farmers Judges Report 2025, the sector has made tremendous progress since the competition began in 2014, with improvements in value addition, use of quality inputs and market access.

Yet these gains coexist with persistent hurdles: poor roads, limited extension services, unsustainable markets, disorganised co-operative leadership and divisive politics. The report was released during the 10th edition of the Best Farmers Awards on December 10 at Vision Group offices in Kampala.

This year saw 221 nominations, 145 profiles, and 62 farm visits, with 13 winners chosen. Since 2014, about 3,000 farmers have been profiled, and 137 winners have been crowned.

Vision Group organises the competition in partnership with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Uganda, dfcu Bank, KLM Airlines and Koudjis Nutrition BV. Chief judge Victoria Ssekitoleko said: “As we move around to visit and judge competitors, what we see mirrors the status of the agriculture sector.”

Poor roads Between October 29 and November 20, judges traversed the country amid heavy rains.

“Harvesting seasonal crops had started, and farmers needed easy transportation, but feeder roads were impassable,” Ssekitoleko said.

In Luwero district, judges struggled through the Luwero-Kikubanimba-Kiwoko-Butalangu road to reach a farm near Kapeeka.

“We wasted a lot of time in Kyenjojo and Kabarole because of the bad road network. Farmers admitted making losses,” Mwendya said.

The Government attributes the poor state of roads to heavy rains, but farmers say the problem is chronic.

Extension services lacking

“When we moved around, we hardly heard a farmer claim assistance from a government extension worker,” Ssekitoleko said.

Farmers admitted they work “in the dark”, relying on peer knowledge. Many gamble across multiple enterprises rather than specialising due to a lack of guidance.

The judges recommended using model farmers, including Best Farmers Competition winners, as peer trainers to supplement government efforts.

Winners like Pison Busingye of Itungo Pastures in Kiruhura, is emerged second overall, Dr Richard Wemesa of Gayaza, Wakiso, who emerged third, Patrick Olobo, a banana farmer in Lira, and Zubairi Mukaaya, a poultry breeder in Kamuli, already share knowledge locally.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, recruitment of extension staff is ongoing.

“We have about 8,000 extension workers against a need of 11,000,” Maj. Gen. David Kasura Kyomukama, the ministry’s permanent secretary, said.

Financing, insurance still elusive Judges noted improved access to finance compared to previous years, but challenges persist.

“Farmers who dare go to banks acquire loans at commercial rates, some as high as 23% annually or worse, 3% monthly,” Ssekitoleko said.

Repayment schedules rarely align with farming seasons, forcing farmers into default. Judges called for a dedicated agricultural bank and questioned why farmers cannot insure high-value assets such as a sh10m cow.

“When this animal dies, it’s a huge loss,” the chief judge said.

Post-harvest handling While over 10 winners exhibited good post-harvest practices, the majority still sold produce raw, a common trend nationwide.

Judges noted persistent gaps in handling, with some farmers drying coffee and maize on bare ground. Poor practices have consequences. South Sudan only recently lifted a ban on Ugandan maize after months of suspension due to aflatoxin contamination caused by fungi thriving under poor storage conditions.

Many farmers sell produce immediately after harvest because they lack reliable storage facilities.

“The reason farmers sell off produce so quickly is the absence of dependable storage,” Mwendya said.

Storage solutions include cold rooms for perishables and silos for cereals, which could be established in major production zones and at exit points.

For example, fruit storage in the Teso sub-region, cereal silos in Kapchorwa, Kibaale and Amuru districts, plus milk facilities in dairy hubs.

The Government says this is part of its agri-industrialisation programme, which includes opening storage and processing units across the country.

Value addition

Value addition remains the key to better farm earnings. While some farmers are embracing it, most still sell raw produce.

Among this year’s winners, at least nine add value, including Hood Kiwana Kasirye (yoghurt), Pison Busingye (ghee), Dr Richard Wemesa (maize flour), Kibinge Coffee Co-operative (roasted coffee) and Joan Kantu (chocolate).

The Government plans to promote the use of local materials and crop by-products in industries, such as animal feeds.

However, progress is slow, partly due to high costs: dairy processing equipment ranges from sh10m to sh200m, while cereal mills start at sh4m. Affordable financing could unlock this potential.

The judges

• Victoria Ssekitoleko (chief judge) is a former agriculture minister, former Food and Agriculture Organisation employee and sits on several agri-value chain bodies.
• Josephat Byaruhanga is the agriculture policy officer in the Embassy of the Netherlands as well as a veteran national and community agriculturalist.
• Augustine Mwendya is a veteran farmer leader who previously worked with the Uganda National Farmers Federation.
• Dr Emma Naluyima was the 2014 and 2022 Best Farmers competition winner and is a practising veterinary officer and educationist.
• Ogenga Latigo is a returning judge and farmer. He holds years of agriculture experience.
• Alex Madolo is an agribusiness specialist who worked as an agriculture loans officer for several years, before joining dfcu Bank.