Uganda’s 2018 Best Farmer’s competition launched ‘live’ at farm

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Sponsors and judges of the popular Uganda Best Farmer’s competition took off their suits and donned overalls on Thursday as they launched this year’s edition in Kiwenda in Wakiso district.

“The first time we did this launch was in the boardroom with fruits on the table. Today we are in the farm with our overalls and are able to bring the public into people’s farms. We are no longer sitting in boardrooms. We are talking to farmers and real people,” Vision Group’s CEO Robert Kabushenga told guests at Mish Farm on Gayaza road.

Officials from the original four sponsors KLM, Netherlands embassy, New Vision and dfcu, now joined by Koudijs Animal Nutrition, marked the start of the Best Farmer’s competition by touring the farm of a previous winner, Celia Kansiime.

Kansiime, among the top winners in the 2016 women’s category of the annual farmer’s competition initiated by Vision Group, showed her guests a poultry house, two green houses in which she grows tomatoes and sweet peppers and her passion fruits gardens.

The Best Farmers sponsors were represented by Dutch ambassador to Uganda Henk Jan Bakker and Paul van Apeldoorn, dfcu’s chief transformation officer. The competition judges were represented by former agriculture minister Victoria Sekitoleko.

“We remain committed to this competition. We made a decision to go for another three years and are still together even till 2019. We are making a nationwide impact and are changing the image of agriculture in Uganda,” said ambassador Henk Jan Bakker.

#BestFarmers2018 COMPETITION LAUNCH: Slapping on the boots for a tour of Celia Kansiime’s farm at Kiwenda, Wakiso district pic.twitter.com/bRBSl1jXoi

— New Vision UGANDA (@newvisionwire) January 25, 2018

SMILE of a harvester
Celia Kansiime has 2 green houses from which she harvests money non stop for a period of 6-7months. Here she grows sweet peppers and tomatoes. #BestFarmers2018 pic.twitter.com/0oX8pddMyA

— Tracy Gwambe (@TheTrayci) January 25, 2018

May the Best Farmer win! Proud to officially launch the #BestFarmers2018 COMPETITION at 2016 winner Celia Kansiime’s Mish Farm. @rkabushenga @dfcugroup @KLM @newvisionwire pic.twitter.com/zkmSNpOYWL

— Henk Jan Bakker (@HenkJanBakker3) January 25, 2018

The competition open to all farmers across the country, will see all entrants get publicity in Vision Group’s different media platforms, and winners get cash prizes, funding to acquire farm equipment and a study trip to The Netherlands.

“We shall continue giving best farmers publicity. People are asking me how they can go to Netherlands on their own. The good news is that we are bringing Netherlands to the Harvest Money Expo,” Kabushenga revealed.

****

Farmers can nominate themselves or be nominated by others by sending their names to any of the Vision Group platforms countrywide. They include New Vision, Bukedde, Rupiny, Orumuri, Etop, Arua One radio and TV West.

Nominations can also be through e-mail to harvestmoney@newvision.co.ug. To nominate by SMS, type: Farmers [space] name of farmer and send to 8338.

***

RELATED VIDEO