aBi to empower young female agripreneurs through coffee
This initiative seeks to create a shared roadmap for inclusive economic participation among young women in the country’s coffee sector
KAMPALA, June 20, 2025 – aBi Development Limited is set to launch a new programme aimed at empowering young female entrepreneurs, particularly those engaged in Uganda’s coffee value chain.
In partnership with the MasterCard Foundation, aBi Development will implement the “Empowering Young-Women Entrepreneurs Stimulated by Coffee” [EYE-C] programme. This initiative seeks to create a shared roadmap for inclusive economic participation among young women in the country’s coffee sector.
At the core of the project is the amplification of the [EYE-C] Programme, which is funded by the MasterCard Foundation and implemented by aBi Development Limited. The initiative aims to create at least 300,000 dignified jobs for young women by leveraging coffee-led economic inclusion as a powerful driver of agricultural transformation.
Speaking during a recent stakeholder meeting held at the Kampala Serena Hotel in Kampala, aBi Development CEO, Moses Nyabila, emphasised the need for collaboration among all actors in the sector to increase the participation of young women in coffee production and make meaningful, sustainable changes in their lives.
“[EYE-C] is about empowering young women entrepreneurs—with men as allies. It’s an inclusive journey that we cannot achieve alone,” Nyabila stated.
He revealed that the MasterCard Foundation is investing nearly US$ 50 million [approximately Shs 180.3 billion] into the [EYE-C] initiative. An additional US$ 20 million has also been committed to support the programme’s long-term goals over the next six years.
Caroline Wamono, Interim Programme Director for [EYE-C], highlighted the initiative’s potential to transform rural Uganda by improving incomes and building resilience among youth and women in farming communities.
“We’re creating a rural transformation process driven by coffee. Our goal is to double farmer incomes, create over 300,000 jobs, empower women in coffee enterprises, and promote climate-smart agriculture,” Wamono said.
She also noted that currently only 20 percent of Ugandan farms benefit from agricultural advisory services. Bridging this gap, she said, is essential to equipping farmers—especially youth and women—with the knowledge and tools they need to increase productivity and income.
Dr Gerald Kyalo, Commissioner for Coffee Development at the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries [MAAIF], praised the [EYE-C] initiative for its alignment with the national Coffee Roadmap. He reiterated the strategic importance of coffee to Uganda’s economy, as the crop contributes up to 22.6 percent of export earnings and supports the livelihoods of more than 12 million Ugandans.
“Our journey to 20 million bags by 2030 is not just a goal—it’s a national mission. Coffee production has already increased from 4.7 million bags in 2017 to 8.2 million today,” Dr Kyalo noted.
The meeting brought together representatives from government, the private sector, producer organisations, financial institutions, and development partners, all seeking a collaborative and inclusive approach to strengthen Uganda’s coffee sector.
While Uganda aspires to reach 20 million bags of coffee annually by 2030 under the [Coffee Roadmap Vision 2030], the sector still faces several challenges, including limited access to affordable finance for smallholder farmers, land ownership barriers—particularly for women—and insufficient extension services and market access.
Stakeholders believe that with proper training, access to resources, and targeted support, young people and women can drive innovation, improve productivity, and ensure the long-term sustainability of the coffee value chain.
Through the [EYE-C] programme, partners aim to identify practical strategies to strengthen production, engage youth and women more effectively, adopt climate-smart practices, and improve coordination along the coffee value chain. This, they believe, will enable Uganda to increase coffee output even in the face of climate change.
Last year, Uganda exported approximately 8.2 million bags of coffee, with leading export destinations including Italy, Belgium, the USA, China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and several African countries such as Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan.
aBi Development strategy supports market-driven enterprises using a value chain approach for specific commodity groups [sub sectors] where six value chains are being supported. These include: maize; pulses, coffee, oilseeds, horticulture and dairy.
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