BCTA MEMBERSHIP STATUS
Alumni

SECTOR
Agriculture, Food & Beverage

HEADQUARTERS
Uganda

REGION OF INITIATIVE
Africa

SDG CONTRIBUTION

RELATED NEWS

Divine Masters Ltd (DML), a Ugandan socially-focussed agribusiness enterprise, has joined Business Call to Action (BCtA) with the aim to incorporate 96,000 Ugandan farmers into its agricultural value chain, increasing their production yields, reduce post-harvest losses through climate adaptation practices, improve access to markets and increase household income by 10 percent by 2020.

Agriculture is a key pillar of the Ugandan economy, accounting for 24 percent of GDP and two thirds of the labour force. Agriculture is thus the main source of income and pathway out of poverty for many. However, in a country rich with agricultural potential, the sector still underperforms as most crops are produced on smallholder farms with limited use of technology.

DML has been working with smallholder farmers in Uganda to improve their livelihoods since 2010. They operate their own 5,200-acre farm that incorporates outgrower farmers, traditionally smallholder farmers that have difficulties getting their stock to market, with outgrower schemes that guarantees purchase of their crops. DML represents more than 50,000 rural farmers and through their inclusive business model they are able to integrate them into the Ugandan agricultural value chain and can increase purchase of crops up to 20 percent above market rates.

Under its BCtA commitment, DML is aiming to utilise Uganda’s agricultural value chain through three targeted activities: knowledge transfer and training, developing rural agricultural infrastructure, and increasing financial inclusion for rural smallholder farmers. DML creates a strong supplier base, providing farmers guaranteed purchase and above-the-market prices of 20 percent mark-up for quality deliveries at the bulking centres under out-grower agreements. Through this initiative DML helps farmers at the bottom of the economic pyramid lift themselves out of poverty.

DML is collaborating with local district governments and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, the German governments’ development agency, to bring increased expertise to boost the training component and help farmers operate more efficiently and sustainably.