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2024 BEST FARMERS COMPETITION

WAKISO - The annual Vision Group Best Farmers Competition was launched on Thursday (April 1) at Namulonge in Wakiso district.

The 2024 edition was launched at the 25-acre farm of last year’s second-best farmer, Henry Lugolobi, in Namulonge, Wakiso district.

The farm specialises in dairy cows and growing pastures, it’s well arranged, clean, and properly managed.

This is the ninth edition of the competition run by Vision Group, together with the Embassy of the Netherlands, KLM Airlines, dfcu Bank, and Koudijs Animal Nutrition.

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Vision Group CEO Don Wanyama remarks at the Best Farmers Competition launch today (April 11, 2024) at Namulonge in Wakiso district. (All Photos by Miriam Namutebi)

Johan Verhoek, the manager sales Africa, at Koudijs Animal Nutrition milks a cow during the launch of the 2024 Best Farmers Competition at Namulonge in Wakiso district.

The farm specialises in dairy cows and growing pastures, it’s well arranged, clean, and properly managed.

The annual Best Farmers competition has gathered national recognition which has helped identify and showcase exemplary farmers who have implemented innovative practices and achieved remarkable success.

Welcoming guests and members of the media to the farm, Lugolobi, applauded the Best Farmers’ sponsors and shared the impact of the initiative on their lives.

Present during the launch were Vision Group CEO Don Wanyama, Editor-in-Chief Barbara Kaija, Johan Verhoek, the manager sales Africa, at Koudijs Animal Nutrition, Annet Kiconco, Chief retail banking officer DFCU Bank, and Rukia Otema, KLM Airlines country manager, among others. 

Vision Group CEO Wanyama stressed that all winners of the 10 sub-regions for the 2024 Best Farmers Competition will need to demonstrate the concept of value addition to their products on the farm and also visibly show what they sell on the market.

“We are doing this so that we answer the challenges that have risen because of increased farm production,” Wanyama said.

Prior, the Best Farmers’ Awards recognize and promote excellence in farming practices; showcasing best practices, innovations, and technologies in agriculture to encourage more farmers to adopt these practices. 

(L-R) Frank Buizer, Agricultural Counsellor for Uganda and Rwanda, Annette Kiconco, Chief Retail Banking Officer DFCU Bank Johan Verhoek, manager sales Africa at Koudijs Animal Nutrition, Vision Group CEO Don Wanyama, Lukia Otema, KLM Airlines country manager, and farmer Henry Lugolobi during the 2024 Best Farmers Competition launch on April 11, 2024, at Namulonge in Wakiso district.

2023 second-best farmer, Henry Lugolobi remarks at his farm in Namulonge, Wakiso district as he hosted the launch of the 2024 Best Farmers Competition.

Welcoming guests and members of the media to the farm, Lugolobi, applauded the Best Farmers’ sponsors and shared the impact of the initiative on their lives.

Vision Group Editor-in-Chief Barbara Kaija remarks.

In her remarks, KLM Airlines country manager Otema said it was a pleasure for them to still be part of the Best Farmers Competition.

“As an Airline, we are deeply committed to sustainability and agricultural development, we recognise the vital role the farmers play in feeding the communities and driving economic growth,” said Otema.

Meanwhile, Koudijs’ Verhoek said, “We see developments on the dairy, poultry, and piggery farms around Uganda and this is what Koudijs stands for, we want to make sure that the farmer prospers and feeds the nations.”

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The 2024 Best Farmers Competition launch kicked off with a tour around Sight Farm Namulonge.  Lugolobi, the owner of the farm took guests around.

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Koudijs’ Verhoek plants a tree at Sight Farm Namulonge.

Vision Group CEO Don Wanyama plants a tree at Sight Farm Namulonge.

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About Sight Farm Namulonge

Lugolobi started his livestock enterprise from a small farm in Makindye, Luwafu Kizungu zone, Makindye division in 2000. His first farm which was at his home measured 30x30 feet on which he kept 200 layers and two zero grazing cows.

The enterprise has since moved to Namulonge in Wakiso district, where it sits on about 25 acres. The enterprise, called Sight Farm initially had 20,000 broilers, pigs, layers and 35 dairy cows.

However, from 2020, Lugolobi opted to specialise in dairy cows and growing pastures. 

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What officials said

Vision Group CEO Don Wanyama said 2024 marks 10 years since the Best Farmers Competition was started... “However, because we missed out in 2021 due to the lockdown, this is our 9th edition.  Across the years we have been able to produce a total of 111 winners.”

The Koudijs Animal Nutrition B.V sales manager,  Johan Verhoek, said, “We see developments on the dairy, poultry, and piggery farms around Uganda and this is what Koudijs stands for, we want to make sure that the farmer prospers and feeds the nations.”

Lukia Otema, the KLM Airlines country manager said, “It is still a pleasure for us at KLM to be part of the Best Farmers Competition. As an Airline, we are deeply committed to sustainability and agricultural development, we recognise the vital role the farmers play in feeding the communities and driving economic growth.”

Josephat Byaruhanga, a Best Farmer Competition judge since 2014 said, “The Best Farmers Competition has awakened the farming community, when I travel around I see so many things happening, so, thank you Vision Group, the Embassy of the Netherlands, KLM Airlines, dfcu Bank, and Koudijs Animal Nutrition.”

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