SECU partners with private firm to boost Irish potato production in Bukwo
BUKWO, February 18, 2026 — Sebei Elgon Cooperative Union [SECU] has partnered with Intracom Fertilizers, a private company, to enhance the production of Irish potatoes in Bukwo district, in a move aimed at revitalising one of the subregion’s key crops.
Sebei Sub-region is widely known for producing crops such as maize, coffee, wheat and Irish potatoes. However, Irish potato production has declined in recent years, prompting the cooperative to seek strategic investment and technical support.
Under the partnership, Intracom Fertilizers, an agricultural inputs producer that also conducts research, will introduce improved technologies to boost yields and quality. The company will produce improved seedlings, train farmers in modern agronomic practices, and support increased production among both cooperative members and out-growers in the community.
According to the Memorandum of Understanding [MoU] signed between the two parties, Intracom will establish a demonstration and production farm on at least 500 acres of cooperative land in Kapyoyon, Suam Sub-county, Bukwo district.
SECU will provide the land, while Intracom Fertilizers will undertake research, clear and prepare the land, extend electricity and water to the site, and construct roads and other infrastructure to benefit both the farm and neighboring communities. Community members will continue using part of the land as agreed.
The MoU stipulates that all farm workers will be recruited from within the Sebei community. Regular training programs will also be conducted to equip residents with modern production skills and new agricultural technologies.
Speaking during a community meeting at Kapyoyon, Intracom Fertilizers Country Representative Jeanluc Bigirimana pledged to introduce improved seedlings and fertilisers accessible to both cooperative members and out-growers.
“The project will empower the community, employ and train youth in improved production methods, and ensure continuous research for better yields. We shall also provide a ready market for Irish potatoes grown by community farmers,” Bigirimana said.
He added that farm operations will be covered by comprehensive agricultural insurance, including coverage for neighboring community farms. In the event of natural calamities, affected farmers will be compensated under the insurance scheme.
Bigirimana further revealed plans to package and brand the produce under a regional label such as “Bukwo Irish” to access premium markets. The project will also introduce mechanised farming and construct housing and other facilities to enhance productivity.
However, the partnership has drawn mixed reactions from some cooperative members and community residents, who accused SECU management of allocating cooperative land to the investor without fully adhering to cooperative laws and principles.
SECU Chairperson Emmy Soyekwo used the meeting to clarify that all legal procedures were followed.
“Before entering this partnership, we consulted the District Commercial Officer on how best to develop our land for the benefit of both the cooperative and the community, and we were cleared. We also consulted cooperative members,” Soyekwo said amid protests from some attendees.
Members urged the leadership to strictly follow legal procedures in managing cooperative property, particularly land intended for community development.
Soyekwo pledged to convene an extraordinary general meeting to harmonise concerns raised by members and conduct further community sensitisation before the project begins.
The Irish potato production partnership is expected to run for at least 20 years. It is projected to improve livelihoods in Bukwo, Kween and Kapchorwa districts, strengthen the cooperative, and promote sustainable agricultural practices.
The project is expected to create at least 6,000 jobs in unskilled labor, while also training agronomists, production managers, storekeepers, machinery operators and other skilled personnel to support long-term agricultural development in the Sebei Subregion.
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