Vision Group launches 2020 Best Farmers competition

Feb 26, 2020

The Best Farmers competition is open to every farmer in Uganda.

The 2020 edition of Uganda's Best Farmers Competition has been launched at a function held at Avail- Fruits of Faith farm, Magere in Wakiso district. This is the seventh edition of the competition that was first launched in December 2013.

Guests and sponsors at Avail- Fruits of Faith farm, Magere in Wakiso district during the launch of the Best Farmers competitions 2020. Photos by Miriam Namutebi.

On Tuesday, officials from the main sponsors; the Royal Dutch KLM Airlines, The Netherlands Embassy, New Vision, Koudjis Animal Nutrition, and dfcu Bank, marked the start of the competition by touring James Male's farm.

Male was the winner of the 2019 edition. Henk Jan Bakker, the Netherlands ambassador to Uganda, who presided over the event, commended the partnership between Vision Group and the sponsors.

"It has been a seven-year journey, which we started with Vision Group. The journey continues to bear fruits of development and mindset change towards farming in Uganda," he said.

 

Bakker encouraged farmers to work towards improving their farming practices in order to be part of the competition.

"If you wake up every day and say how do I improve my farming? How do I make more money from my farm? And work towards implementing it. You are on the right track of being a successful farmer," Bakker said.

The country director of Royal Dutch KLM Airlines, Lukia Otema, said it was a privilege for them to be part of the competition.

"Sponsoring one of the biggest activities in the agriculture sector and being able to add value to the farmers by introducing them to new innovations is a privilege for us at KLM," Otema said.

 

She revealed that because of the competition, people are moving towards commercial farming.

"Ninety percent of our cargo is from farming, so we are excited to be part of what is part of us," Otema said.

Jude Kansiime, the head of products and marketing at dfcu Bank, said the competition was in line with the bank's strategy of supporting the agriculture sector.

 

dfcu Bank provides Best Farmers' competition winners with financial support of up to sh150m.

"We are committed to transforming the agriculture sector. We have tailored loans for small-scale farmers and they do not need security as long as they have something productive that they are doing," Kansiime said.

Geoffrey Mukama, the country sales representative of Koudijs Animals Nutrition Uganda, said they are committed to giving farmers the best livestock feeds.

"We are always working with the farmers to improve productivity," Mukama said.

 

Open competition

The Best Farmers competition is open to every farmer in Uganda.

"The competition has re-branded farming in this country. The picture that is painted in New Vision shows farming as cool thing, which has interested more people," Male said.

 

He revealed that because of the competition, he has been able to learn new technologies and innovations that have helped him improve his farm.

"I have various partnerships from Dutch companies that have helped me acquire new technologies and innovations," Male said.

The competition does not consider farm enterprise or size, but rather puts emphasis on farm organisation and management, knowledge of farm, plus use of innovations.

 

It also looks at family contribution and continuity of enterprise, environment-smart practices, for example, land and water conservation, animal waste control, social impact, access to markets, post-harvest handling and value-addition.

 

How to participate
 
Farmers can nominate themselves or be nominated by others by sending their names to any of the Vision Group platforms countrywide.
 
These include New Vision, Bukedde, Rupiny, Orumuri, Etop, Arua One radio and TV West. Nominations can also be sent through e-mail to harvestmoney@newvision. co.ug.

 

To nominate by SMS, type: Farmers [space] name of farmer and send to 8338. After the nominations, farmers will be profiled on the various platforms.

 

Thereafter, their stories will be forwarded to the judges for assessment. A cash prize and a sponsored study tour to The Netherlands awaits the overall top winners.

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