BY SAMUEL NABWIISO
KAMPALA, Uganda–The 10 farmers from Uganda who won the 2017 Best Farmers’Competition have been flagged off to Netherlands.
The farmers were flagged off at the dfcu Bank Head offices by the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja, who urged them to be good ambassadors while in Netherlands.
“This is a great achievement for you, so you should take advantage of this tour and while in Netherlands, be good ambassadors and represent your country with great honor,” Ssempijja told the farmers.
The Minister also commended the sponsors and partners of the best farmer’s initiative for their great support.
He added: “In my Ministry, we recognize and also appreciate everyone who is doing whatever it takes to support agriculture.”
DFCU Bank, KLM and the Dutch Embassy are some of the sponsors of the initiative.
Netherlands is one of the world’s largest exporters of Agricultural produce and it was on that note that DFCU Bank Chairman, Jimmy Mugerwa told the Farmers to borrow a leaf.
“The Dutch are super powers when it comes to Agriculture, so try to learn something from them when you are there so that you can implement those skills accordingly as we try to develop the sector,” Mugerwa said.
Anja De Feijter, the Executive director of Agribusiness Development Center (ADC) – an initiative of the Robobank Foundation and DFCU bank, told this website that it is a great opportunity for the travelling farmers.
“I believe that they will learn a lot from the Netherlands not only in the agricultural perspective but also in other daily life aspects. This is a great opportunity for them to be part of the team that will transform agriculture in Uganda,” he said.
Anja added that the experience and exposure to new culture, new foods and skills, will help the farmers to be good examples in their communities and also share those skills to their fellow countrymen.
