Launched in 2018 by the Government of Uganda (GoU) through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries (MAAIF), the Agriculture Cluster Development Project (ACDP) is a transformative initiative aimed at revitalizing Uganda’s agricultural sector.

Backed by a substantial US$150 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank, this six-year project aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 to eradicate hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. It also supports Uganda’s National Development Plan II (NDP II).

The ACDP’s primary objective is to enhance on-farm productivity, increase agricultural output, and elevate marketable volumes of key crops across 57 districts, organized into 12 geographical clusters. The focus commodities include maize, rice, beans, cassava, and coffee.

Lawrence Mbabazi, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer of Ntungamo District, outlines the project’s four main components: Intensification of On-Farm Production, the E- Voucher Program, Capacity Building for Beneficiaries and Farmer Organizations, and Development of Agricultural Input Markets.

Esther Atwine, the Ntungamo District Agricultural Officer, emphasizes the success of the e-voucher system.

Initially aimed at enrolling 8,000 beneficiaries, primarily for coffee and beans, the e-voucher system has shown remarkable growth.

In 2019, it registered 1,200 male and 680 female beneficiaries for coffee and 392 male and 928 female beneficiaries for beans. By 2022, beneficiaries for coffee had risen to 2,361 males and 2,196 females, while beans saw 102 males and 153 females enrolled. The project has enrolled 16,696 farmers, including 7,361 females and 9,335 males.

During the 2021 season, 466 farmers advanced to Cycle 2, with 380 focusing on coffee and 86 on beans. By the end of Season B 2021, 240 farmers had progressed further, including 130 in coffee and 110 in beans.

Edson Turyasingura, a bean farmer from the Rwabakyeneka Farmer Group who advanced to Cycle 2, has experienced significant improvements in production. With ACDP-provided inputs like fertilizers and pesticides, his bean cultivation expanded from 2 acres to 20 acres.

Previously, he sold beans at 2,000 UGX per kilogram, but now, through a partnership with Green Firm Africa Limited, he sells at Ugx 4,000 per kilogram.  This has led to a harvest of 16 tons per season, earning him Ugx 48,000,000, which he used to build a permanent home and cover his children’s school fees.

Despite these successes, the ACDP has faced challenges, including occasional issues with the e-voucher system and delays in the pre-qualification of agro-input dealers. These problems have affected the timely delivery of inputs and the functioning of the M-Cash system.

Geoffrey Zahirahi, a coffee farmer managing 23 acres, faced significant challenges with his coffee farm before joining the ACDP. His farm was poorly managed, but with ACDP support, including inputs such as fertilizers, tarpaulins, and pruning saws, along with advisory training on stumping old coffee trees, his production and productivity have soared.

Previously, he harvested only 1 ton of clean coffee, selling it for Ugx 3,000 per kilogram. Now, as a member of the Kahengyere Cooperative, which markets coffee collectively, he sells at Ugx 4,000 per kilogram. His harvest has increased to 14,000 kilograms per season, earning him Ugx 56,000,000. With these earnings, he has purchased additional land and planted 4 acres of young coffee.

He has also covered university fees for his four children, three of whom have already graduated. His adoption of inorganic fertilizers across his 23 acres has further boosted his production and productivity.

ACDP has significantly enhanced agricultural productivity and supported Ugandan farmers in increasing both production and productivity.