Telecom company, Airtel Uganda has partnered with Ankole Coffee Producers Cooperative Union(ACPCU) to provide the Airtel Money payments platform services to the cooperative union so as to enhance payments of member farmers in the area.
The partnership will simplify and improve farmer’s payments for all participating cooperatives, and all members of the coffee value chain like input providers and traders in the Ankole region as a way of enhancing financial inclusion.
"The partnership is meant to create a robust mobile money ecosystem, which will help in the provision of efficient and sustainable services and this will position Airtel as a key player in the agri business value chain through the access and use the Airtel money," said Andrew Rugamba, the acting director for Airtel Money.
“We will be building on the strides made by Airtel to develop digital products, and deepen coverage toward increasing access to mobile and financial services in Uganda as a key player in the agri-business value chain.”
He explained that in the cooperative union areas of operation ,the telecom company will support the registration of farmers, merchants schools and hospitals for Airtel Money services as well as continuing to train the public on
how to use the services.
This, he said will increase the penetration of Airtel money services, and growth in consumption of mobile financial services.
The chairperson Ankole Coffee Producers Cooperative Union, Canon. Sam Mugabi, appreciated Airtel Uganda for rolling out this partnership in Ankole region.
He noted that over 21 primary cooperatives which house close to 14,000 farmers will benefit from this partnership.
“We are delighted to partner with Airtel Uganda as an enabler of farmer’s businesses in the new digital era, this partnership will cut across other Airtel services like internet. Our membership has finally found a lasting solution to managing their financial transactions as they do business in the region and beyond. I therefore wish to encourage all ACPCU members to embrace this new service and acclimatize themselves with it so as to cope with the times, enhance security of their money, have a trail of the movement of their money as transactions are traceable as well as convenient,” Mugabi said.
According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics 2021 Uganda National Household Survey Report, at least 51 percent of the Ugandan population uses mobile money services; a key statistic that highlights the significance of the use of money on the phone in creating new opportunities for micro and small enterprises (MSEs).
To bolster access to mobile money services, Airtel has increased its Airtel Money branch footprint in the region that will enable the community to conduct financial services in real- time. This is in addition to the over 2,100 4G enabled masts that Airtel Uganda has in all parts of the country.
