Posted on April, 16, 2025 at 05:16 pm
LUWERO – dfcu Bank, in partnership with Vision Group, KLM, and Koudjis Uganda, has launched the 11th edition of the Best Farmers Competition 2025 at Prime Agro Farms in Zirobwe, Luweero District. Alex Madolo, Head of Agriculture at DFCU, emphasized the bank’s commitment to supporting farmers through access to finance, training, and bespoke solutions.
“Our vision is to transform lives and businesses in Uganda, and we believe that agriculture is the greatest backbone of our nation,” Madolo said.
Madolo further explained that dfcu doesn’t just provide financial services but partners in the growth of businesses. “We tend to co-create with you to understand your businesses and then give you bespoke solutions among which can be access to finance, savings, investments, but also training more specially for those in the agriculture sector.”
Stevens Guido, Koudjis Uganda Country Manager, also highlighted the importance of farming in Uganda, saying, “I’m thrilled to see that this farm is not only family-owned but also has a vision to expand, invest in new machinery, and contribute to the local community.”
Joost van Ettro, Deputy Ambassador of the Netherlands Embassy in Uganda, emphasized the importance of joint and shared interests in promoting agricultural growth and development. “The Best Farmer Competition was founded on a vision to promote farming as a business. We believed that by working together, we could achieve more, and over the years, we’ve seen the competition grow and evolve alongside Uganda’s agricultural sector.”
Madolo also highlighted the impact of the competition on past winners, saying, “We’ve had testimonies from past winners that have come back probably gotten partners from Netherlands, but also among which the attitude change.”
Guido expressed his delight in seeing students showing interest in farming and exploring the potential of agriculture. “I’m delighted to see students today, showing interest, learning, and exploring this wonderful farm. Without farmers, our tables would be empty, and our communities would suffer,” Guido said.
Ettro also emphasized the potential of Uganda’s agricultural sector to drive economic growth and development, saying, “As I look around this room, I’m reminded of the potential for Uganda’s agricultural sector to drive economic growth and development.”
Madolo highlighted dfcu’s efforts to support farmers in addressing climate change challenges. “We are partnering with different stakeholders to combat that issue climate change, and for farmers or businesses that are into climate smart uh get concessions in terms of the pricing, but they also get first priority,” he said.
Ettro who was the Chief Guest, announced the official opening of the Best Farmers Competition 2025, saying, “I’m delighted to announce that the Best Farmer Competition 2025 is now officially opened. We look forward to recognizing and celebrating the outstanding contributions of our farmers, and we’re excited to see the impact this competition will have on Uganda’s agricultural sector.”
Guido concluded by wishing the competitors the best of luck and urging farmers to inspire more Ugandans about the greatness of the profession. “To all the competitors, I wish you the best of luck. I also urge all farmers, friends, and family to inspire more Ugandans about the greatness of this profession,” Guido said.
Madolo also encouraged farmers to approach the bank for support, saying, “So, the advice that I will give to any farmer or any agri business outside is, just find any nearest DFCU branch and come talk to us. Let’s sit on a table, let us plan for your farm.”
Source: PML