KAPCHORWA, December 1, 2025 — In a significant boost to the cooperative movement in the Sebei Subregion, Agriterra has entered into a five-year partnership with Wagagai Coffee Farmers’ SACCO aimed at strengthening the capacity of smallholder farmers and improving livelihoods.
The initiative was unveiled during a recent member engagement meeting at Kaserem Primary School, where more than 50 members gathered to witness the official launch of the capacity-building project. SACCO leaders and Agriterra officials delivered presentations outlining the partnership’s objectives.
The project, part of Agriterra’s broader rural transformation agenda, is expected to directly benefit thousands of households involved in coffee farming, a key cash crop in Kapchorwa and neighbouring districts.
Speaking on behalf of Agriterra, cooperative advisor Resty Kagoya said the project is designed to reach 200,000 smallholder farmers, 60 SACCOs, 60 producer cooperatives and 180 farmer groups across the Elgon region during its three-year implementation period.
Kagoya emphasised Agriterra’s commitment to transforming rural farmer organisations into professionally managed, financially disciplined and market-driven institutions capable of competing in the evolving global agricultural economy.
“This partnership with Wagagai Coffee Farmers’ SACCO is part of a much larger reform plan to build stronger, more resilient farmer organisations,” she said. “Our mission is to empower smallholder farmers with the skills, knowledge and financial systems that will raise their incomes and improve their quality of life.”
She noted that the project will focus on strengthening governance, organisational development, financial management training and improving farmers’ access to affordable credit and markets.
Kagoya added that the Elgon region, known for its high-quality Arabica coffee, has significant potential for agricultural transformation if farmer organisations receive the necessary technical and institutional support.
Wagagai Coffee Farmers’ SACCO Manager, Arafat Malewa, welcomed the partnership, describing it as “a turning point” for farmers who have long operated with limited organisational support, inadequate financial literacy and scarce access to credit.
“For years, our farmers have been producing coffee with minimal training and without a strong financial system to back them,” Malewa said. “This five-year project will give our members the opportunity to learn modern agronomy, improve record-keeping and access affordable loans.”
He emphasised the SACCO’s commitment to transparency as the project progresses, noting that all activities will be communicated to members through regular meetings, training sessions and progress reports. He added that the SACCO hopes to grow its membership over the next five years as more farmers gain confidence in its leadership and operations.
Focus on governance, financial systems and agronomy training
According to presentations made at the meeting, the project will focus on five key pillars:
- Strengthening SACCO governance and leadership structures
- Training farmers in modern coffee agronomy and climate-smart practices
- Improving digital and manual financial record-keeping
- Enhancing loan management systems within the SACCO
- Supporting farmers to access better markets through collective marketing
Kagoya noted that strong governance is the cornerstone of successful farmer institutions, adding that Agriterra will work closely with the SACCO to build leadership capacity and promote accountability.
“A cooperative is only as strong as its governance,” she said. “When leaders make informed and transparent decisions, the entire community grows.”
Farmers express optimism
During the interactive session, several farmers expressed optimism about the project, saying it comes at a time when fluctuating coffee prices, rising input costs and the effects of climate change have made farming increasingly unpredictable.
Many said they looked forward to training in pruning, pest control, nursery establishment and soil conservation — practices that can significantly boost yields.
Others stressed the importance of strong loan management systems, noting that past challenges in SACCOs often stemmed from poor recoveries and weak financial oversight.
Some members also urged the SACCO leadership to ensure that youth and women’s groups are fully included in the upcoming training programmes, as these groups often face the greatest barriers to accessing credit and skills.
A regional transformation agenda
Agriterra’s wider rural transformation programme targets the entire Elgon region, where coffee remains the dominant cash crop and a major source of household income.
Kagoya highlighted that the five-year partnership aims to transform how smallholder farmers engage with markets, manage their finances and adopt new agricultural technologies.
She described the partnership as a strategic move to professionalise rural farmer organisations and prepare them for long-term sustainability.
“The goal is not simply to train, but to transform,” she said. “By the end of five years, we want every SACCO, cooperative and farmer group to operate with confidence, transparency and strong market connections.”
New hope for coffee farmers
As the meeting concluded, farmers expressed hope that the partnership would revitalise the cooperative movement in Kaserem and surrounding communities. Many said they were encouraged that an internationally recognised organisation like Agriterra was investing in their development.
The project will now move into its implementation phase, which includes baseline assessments, capacity-building workshops, governance coaching and financial literacy training for both leaders and members.
If fully implemented, stakeholders believe the initiative will significantly increase household incomes, strengthen rural financial institutions and position the Elgon region as a hub for high-quality coffee production.
Agriterra – founded by the Dutch agricultural sector, is an international non-profit organisation dedicated to strengthening farmer organisations.
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