NAMUTUMBA — Youths in Namutumba District are increasingly embracing commercial agriculture as a dependable source of income, with many celebrating bumper groundnut harvests under the Stimulating Agribusiness for Youth Employment (SAYE) initiative.
Across Mpenzya A Village in Mazuba Sub-county, expansive groundnut gardens stretch across the landscape, reflecting a productive agricultural season.
Farmers are currently harvesting their crops, encouraged by strong yields and improved access to markets.
Many say their household incomes and financial stability have improved significantly due to increased production and sales of groundnuts, a transformation they attribute to the SAYE project implemented by Heifer International Uganda with support from ASIGMA, CURAD, Financial Sector Deepening Uganda and the Federation of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (FSME).
Among the participants is 27-year-old Richard Wabwire, who returned to his village after a struggling printing business in Kampala failed to provide a sustainable livelihood.
“I used to work in printing services, but business declined and life became difficult in Kampala. I decided to return home and start farming,” Wabwire said.
Beginning with a single acre planted with 50 kilograms of seed, Wabwire harvested 12 bags of groundnuts in his first season.
Encouraged by the results, he expanded to four acres and harvested more than 1,400 kilograms after shelling. This season, he expects to harvest more than 100 bags.
The proceeds from farming have already enabled him to construct a 60-iron-sheet residential house, which he hopes to complete after selling this season’s harvest.
Wabwire credits his success to the SAYE initiative, which encourages young people to view agriculture as a business rather than a subsistence activity.
The programme provides training in modern farming methods, access to improved seed varieties and fertilisers, as well as connections to financial institutions and structured markets.
Through the project, farmers have been linked to buyers such as Agri Net, which offers more competitive prices than local traders.
“They linked us to Agri Net, which buys our groundnuts at Shs6,000 per kilogram, while middlemen in the village offer only about Shs4,200,” Wabwire explained.
Another participant, Eria Mbayo, a member of the Basooka Kwavula Youth Farmers Group, said the training offered under the project has strengthened members’ skills in agronomy and farm record keeping.
“We receive training in better farming practices and record keeping, which has helped us grow our business,” Mbayo said.
The group has since diversified into other income-generating activities, including goat rearing, using profits earned from groundnut farming.
Despite the success, farmers say post-harvest handling remains a major challenge. Many communities lack access to processing equipment, particularly groundnut shelling machines, forcing farmers to travel long distances to process their produce.
“We travel long distances to access shelling machines. We appeal to the government to support us with such equipment within our communities,” Wabwire said.
Local leaders have praised the SAYE initiative for complementing government programmes such as the Parish Development Model by creating employment opportunities and improving household incomes.
Namutumba Assistant Resident District Commissioner Richard Musana said the project has helped change young people's perceptions of agriculture.
“The programme trains young people, provides them with quality inputs, soft loans and market linkages. It has made many youths appreciate agriculture as a viable business,” Musana said.
The SAYE project is part of broader efforts to tackle youth unemployment by promoting agribusiness and improving access to agricultural value chains.
With continued support and investment in post-harvest infrastructure, farmers in Namutumba are optimistic that groundnut production will continue to grow, strengthening household incomes and contributing to the district’s economic development.