Produce dealers in Kijabijo, a suburb of Kira Town in Wakiso District, are transforming livelihoods through the Emyooga program under the Presidential Initiative on Job and Wealth Creation by adding value to Amaranthus (doodo), traditionally a common leafy vegetable, now processed into a nutritious flour supplement.
The group, which started in 2021, has recorded remarkable progress after receiving multiple rounds of seed capital, including a recent injection of 20 million shillings two weeks ago.
The funds are helping the cooperative expand production and reach new markets, marking a major milestone in its growth.
According to chairperson Phiona Kiconco, the cooperative’s resilience and strict financial discipline have been central to its success.
She said members overcame early challenges during the post-COVID-19 recovery period by focusing on savings and value addition.
Among the standout beneficiaries is Epmac Rwikiriza, who began with a small loan of 400,000 shillings but has since expanded into real estate and large-scale farming.
“The Emyooga program gave me the capital and confidence to dream bigger,” he said, attributing his business success to the initiative’s financial empowerment opportunities.
Another member, Juliet Kanini, runs an amaranth farm in Bushenyi District, where she and fellow producers are turning doodo seeds into nutrient-rich flour that is increasingly popular among local consumers.
“We realised that doodo is more than just a vegetable — its seeds can be turned into a healthy, marketable product,” Kanini said.
For members like Dubo Godfrey, the cooperative model has been transformative, enhancing knowledge sharing, production standards, and collective marketing.
“We’ve learned to work together, share ideas, and build confidence in agribusiness,” he said.
Initially comprising 19 associations, the cooperative has since consolidated to seven active groups — a move leaders say has improved coordination, transparency, and financial discipline.
From its modest beginnings, the Kijabijo produce dealers’ group now stands as a symbol of innovation and resilience — proof that through value addition, even traditional crops like doodo can become engines of economic empowerment under the Emyooga initiative.
