More than 12,000 young women in Ibanda District are set to benefit from a new agribusiness initiative aimed at increasing female participation in Uganda’s coffee industry and improving livelihoods through enterprise development.
The programme was launched on Wednesday by the International Women’s Coffee Alliance in partnership with Bisheshe Coffee Cooperative Society Limited (BICOPA) and the Agriculture Business Initiative (aBi) during a stakeholders’ workshop held at Resort Gardens in Ibanda Town.
The initiative targets young women aged between 18 and 35 and seeks to equip them with practical skills in coffee-related agriculture and agribusiness enterprises.
Speaking at the workshop attended by district officials, youth representatives, religious leaders and cultural leaders, the project’s Business Development Specialist, Davis Ikiriza, said the programme is designed to address longstanding barriers that have limited youth participation in agriculture.
“This program focuses on solving market challenges, addressing systemic barriers, closing skilling gaps and improving access to finance so that young women can meaningfully participate in Uganda’s coffee sector and improve their livelihoods,” Ikiriza said.
He revealed that the project is part of a nationwide programme targeting 430,000 young women, with Ibanda expected to account for 12,000 beneficiaries.
According to Ikiriza, participants will receive training in various coffee-related value chains, including coffee production, apiary and poultry enterprises, enabling them to diversify income sources while strengthening their engagement in agriculture.
“Beyond training, selected participants will receive tools to support their enterprises, while some beneficiaries will be equipped as trainers to transfer skills to more youth within their communities,” he added.
The programme will be implemented through Bisheshe Coffee Cooperative Society Limited in Ibanda District and Rubanga Cooperative in neighbouring Mitooma District.
District leaders welcomed the initiative, describing it as a timely intervention in addressing unemployment among young women.
Assistant Resident District Commissioner Richard Banjo commended the partners for investing in youth empowerment through agriculture.
“Youth unemployment remains one of the biggest challenges in our district. This initiative gives young women an opportunity to join productive agriculture and become economically independent,” Banjo said.
The Ibanda District Operation Wealth Creation Coordinator, Lieutenant Joseph Bataringaya, also welcomed the programme, noting the importance of coffee to Uganda’s economy.
“Coffee continues to be one of Uganda’s strongest economic drivers and involving young women in the value chain will create employment and strengthen household incomes,” Bataringaya said.
Participants at the workshop expressed optimism about the opportunities the initiative presents but also highlighted the challenges many young women face in entering the agricultural sector.
Immaculate Kabasinguzi said limited access to capital and technical knowledge continues to hinder many aspiring agripreneurs.
“We have the interest to engage in coffee farming and agribusiness, but many of us face financial limitations and insufficient knowledge about the sector,” she said.
Hilder Ayebare said the programme would help women acquire practical skills and confidence to start and manage successful enterprises.
“This initiative will help us gain skills and confidence to participate in agribusiness and create sustainable sources of income,” she said.
Another participant, Mercy Badidi Kekirabo, noted that empowering women economically could have far-reaching benefits for families and communities.
BICOPA Manager Godfrey Natuhamya said the programme will place significant emphasis on practical training, modern farming techniques and good agronomic practices.
“We want to equip young women with modern agricultural knowledge and attract more female youth into coffee enterprises not only from Ibanda but also neighbouring districts,” Natuhamya said.
He added that the programme is expected to attract beneficiaries from Kitagwenda, Kiruhura, Kazo and Kamwenge districts, extending opportunities beyond Ibanda and strengthening regional participation in the coffee economy.
Organisers say the initiative is expected to boost youth participation in agribusiness while positioning coffee production and related enterprises as pathways to economic transformation for young women across western Uganda.