Uganda's best farmers in the Netherlands: A week of networking, practical training
On Wednesday, the farmers will be engaged in practical on-farm training at different farms.
On Monday (today, October 6) morning, the group is visiting the Koudjis/ De Heus processing facility. Koudjis, processors of livestock feeds, are one of the sponsors of the best farmers' competition.
On Tuesday morning, the farmers will be divided into four groups. The coffee farmers will visit the We Wonder Company, the dairy group will visit Ante BV, a company that fabricates dairy processing equipment, while the poultry group will visit Vencomatic Poultry Equipment.
2024 BEST FARMERS
When the KLM flight departed Entebbe Airport on Saturday (October 4, 2025) night, seated among the passengers were the 2024 Best Farmers.
The group, which was flagged off on October 2 at the dfcu Bank offices in Kampala, were travelling for their learning tour of the Netherlands. They will return on October 11.
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.
Ten winners share
The 13 who travelled include Prof. Paul Kibwika (overall winner), Brenda Tusiime (1st runner up from Kabarole), Meridah Nandudu (2nd runner 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 and Pius Kwesiga of Nile Fresh.
Since the competition started in 2014, there have been 121 winners and out of these, 111 have travelled to the Netherlands.
Heavy week schedule
According to Michel Hillen from Emerging Markets for Africa (EMSA), who was contracted by the Government of the Netherlands to host the farmers in the Netherlands, on arrival on Sunday morning, they 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.
Monday
On Monday (today, October 6) morning, the group is visiting 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 feed processing factory in Uganda-Njeru, near Jinja.
Tuesday
On Tuesday morning, the farmers will be divided into four groups. The coffee farmers will visit the We Wonder Company, the dairy group will visit Ante BV, a company that fabricates dairy processing equipment, while the poultry group will visit Vencomatic Poultry Equipment. The crops group will visit Tijms Irrigation and Mechanisation.
On Tuesday afternoon, the coffee group will visit a coffee roaster, the poultry group will visit Angel Eggs Hatchery, while the crops farming group will visit a Bio Gas Company.
Wednesday
On Wednesday, the farmers will be engaged in practical on-farm training at different farms.
The training will be done in conjunction with PUM experts. The dairy group will visit Friesland, which is the heart of Dutch dairy farming, where they will be given tips in dairy management. The poultry group will visit Limburg, while the coffee group will visit Goslings.
Thursday
On Thursday, the farmers will once again come together in a matchmaking session in the morning. During the session, the farmers will be able to network with possible partners in business in the Netherlands. In the afternoon, the farmers will go sightseeing.
On Friday morning, the farmers will visit ‘Insect Engineers’, before going for sightseeing and shopping.
What farmers expect
Joyce Omiat, a dairy farmer from Bukedea and winner Northeast expects to visit Dutch dairy farmers and learn from their practices.
“They are some of the best dairy farmers in the world so I expect to learn how their cows are managed to produce 30litres of milk consistently,” she says.
Joseph Nkandu, chairperson of the National Union of Coffee Agribusiness and Farm Enterprises (NUCAFE):
I am looking forward to building partnerships and exploring new forms of cooperation, including identifying potential customers. I want to learn innovative farming practices that I can share with fellow farmers to promote skills and knowledge transfer—not just in coffee, but across all agricultural sectors. I’m also keen to understand how Dutch cooperatives manage extension services and access appropriate financing, which is a challenge in Uganda’s agricultural sector.
Meridah Nandudu, Proprietor of Bayaaya Specialty Coffee
My goal is to connect with coffee roasters and learn more about value addition of the crop. I’m particularly interested in modern coffee processing technologies and exploring potential markets in the Netherlands through collaborations with companies and researchers.
Brenda Tusiime, Mema Agro-Organic Processors, Fort Portal
As a pumpkin farmer and processor, I want to learn how Dutch farmers add value to pumpkins. I’m eager to discover the range of products they make from pumpkins and adapt those technologies to make pumpkin a staple in Ugandan households.
Prof. Paul Kibwika, Emerge Integrated Farm Ltd and Rapak Factory, processing juice, poultry
I’m seeking business partnerships that can help grow both our farm and factory. I’m also interested in accessing state-of-the-art agro-processing tools and machinery to improve the quality, productivity, and efficiency of our operations.
Abbas Sekajja, Sekajja Agro Farms Ltd
I want to understand how to build a farm that can last for generations. I’m also looking to improve the quality of our products and learn how to manage a sustainable, long-term farming enterprise.
Godfrey Bwaya, Chairman, Elgon Farmers’ Cooperative Union Ltd
The Netherlands is the second-largest agricultural exporter in the world, and I want to learn as much as I can, especially about value addition. As Arabica coffee farmers, we’ve been selling parchment, which earns little. With value addition, we can significantly increase earnings and improve livelihoods. I plan to share these insights with our cooperative members to boost incomes and transform communities.
Janny Winfred Oyella, coffee farm, Gulu
I hope to gain new ideas and integrate them into my farm. I am especially interested in coffee value addition and how it can help us access international markets and improve farmers’ lives.
Tom Okao, goats, poultry from Lira
This is a great opportunity to see how the Dutch do things differently. I want to explore the latest machinery they use for value addition and learn how they grow their agribusinesses.
Martha Namabiro, Secretary, Dairy Farmers’ Network (DAFAN)
The Netherlands is known for high productivity in dairy. I’m eager to learn how Dutch farmers manage their enterprises and bring back ideas that can help us improve our own farms.
Emmanuella Oroma, Apiary, Nebbi
I want to learn how the Dutch manage beekeeping and the various products they derive from bees. I’m also interested in how they use these products commercially, so I can apply similar practices to elevate my farm’s income and community impact.
Allen Atuhaire Tibishangwa, Fresh Farm, dairy and yoghurt
I’m looking forward to networking—not just with Dutch partners, but also with my fellow Ugandan farmers. I want to learn how the Dutch manage poultry farming and apply those lessons to improve Uganda’s poultry industry.