On a rainy and chilly Tuesday 24/03/2026 in Njeru, Jinja, Eastern Uganda, dfcu Bank, in partnership with Vision Group, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, De Heus Koudijs Nutrition BV, and the New Vision Foundation, officially launched the 2026 Best Farmers Competition reaffirming a national commitment to transforming agriculture into a structured and profitable business sector.
Now in its 12th edition, the competition is implemented under the Vision Initiative for Sustainable Agriculture (VISA) and runs under the theme: “Farming as a Business: Growth, Commercialization and Cooperatives.” The initiative targets farmers and cooperatives with strong commercial potential, placing emphasis on productivity, proper record keeping, value addition, sustainability, and market access critical pillars in shifting Uganda’s agriculture from subsistence to enterprise.
Speaking at the launch, Mathias Jumba, Head of Integrated Channels at dfcu Bank, underscored the institution’s longstanding commitment to the sector.
“For over sixty years, dfcu Bank has walked alongside Ugandans building lives and businesses from the ground up, and nothing is more foundational to that mission than agriculture,” he said. “This competition proves that farming is not subsistence—it is enterprise. The farmers we celebrate today are keeping records, adding value, branding their products, and building businesses that can scale.”
He further highlighted the bank’s impact, noting that by the end of 2024, dfcu Bank had supported over 1,200 agribusinesses, reached 59,000 beneficiaries, facilitated US$22 million in business linkages, and connected 5,000 enterprises to formal financial services—52 percent of them women.
Representing the Guest of Honour, Andrew Byaruhanga from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Uganda emphasized the initiative’s broader significance.
“This initiative continues to expose farmers to modern practices, partnerships, and innovations that are critical in shaping agriculture as a business,” he said.
Don Wanyama, CEO of Vision Group, noted that the competition has already recognized over 130 farmers nationwide and continues to drive investment, innovation, and growth across the agricultural sector.
The 2026 edition introduces an expanded structure that recognizes small-, medium-, and large-scale farmers, alongside agricultural cooperatives highlighting the importance of both individual enterprise and collective strength. With nearly 30,000 cooperatives in Uganda, many of them agricultural, these groups play a vital role in aggregation, market access, and farmer resilience. Their inclusion underscores their importance in building scale and competitiveness.
Jumba emphasized this shift, stating, “This year’s theme speaks directly to where Ugandan agriculture must go next. Individual excellence matters, but collective strength is what transforms sectors.”
A total of 13 winners will be selected, including 10 regional farmers and three cooperatives. Winners will receive financial awards and study trips to the Netherlands, offering exposure to advanced farming systems and technologies.
Since its inception in 2014, the Best Farmers Competition has evolved into one of Uganda’s leading agricultural platforms, supporting the growth of commercially viable farming enterprises and positioning agriculture as a key driver of economic transformation.
