Changing Poor Livelihoods Among Smallholder Farmers
AgriNet Uganda Limited is incorporated in Uganda and has been operational for ten (10) years now, providing a range of services to the agricultural sector. It was recognized among the top one hundred (100) small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) in the 2017 edition of the TOP 100 SME Survey that is conducted annually by KPMG, Daily Monitor, DFCU Bank and supported by Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) among others.
AgriNet operates a network of over three hundred (300) local entrepreneurs who provide market access services including agricultural market intelligence, supply chain management, agro-processing or value addition and agribusiness development training services.
The company has a four (4) member Board of Directors, twenty two (22) technical and administrative staff based at the head office in Kampala and the two (2) regional offices in Lira and Tororo.
Overview
AgriNet believes that the poor livelihoods among smallholder farmers in Uganda can be changed through long term market engagement and gradual attitude change. This should be focused on all actors along commodity value chains. Farmers’ market behavior suggests that in order to reduce their poverty levels, there is need for approaches that better meet their needs, increase their productivity and incomes and empower their entry into the formal market economies.
Products and Services
The key products and services that AgriNet Uganda Ltd deals in include: trading in grain, processing grain and offering consulting services across the value chains that it operates in. The company is set to further expand its processing arm, with addition of new machinery, improvement of processed products and expansion to EAC regional market in the next five years.
The Market and Customer
The key market segments that AgriNet serves include: Industrial buyers (who buy to process e.g. sorghum to beer), institutional buyers (who are large consuming customers like schools and hospitals), household buyers (who buy from supermarkets and shops), distributors, brokers, and various parties interested in the company’s consulting services in agribusiness.
AgriNet’s vision
To have an efficient, reliable, transparent and fair agricultural input and output market, that includes small scale farmers and all actors in the marketing chains.
AgriNet’s mission
To increase the access of all market actors to domestic and export markets through making transparent links all along the marketing chains from small scale farmers to volume and quality buyers.
AgriNet’s core values
These include; transparency, reliability, accountability and integrity. AgriNet’s values ensure that small farmers are our focus and that they get a price that is fair. All our dealings are transparent to all parties involved and we keep our promise of produce quality to our clients.
Development partners
AgriNet works with a number of partners on development projects aimed at supporting farmers’ access to markets.
Some of these include: World Food Programme (WFP), Innovation for Poverty Alleviation (IPA), International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and World Vision among others. We also work with private companies like Uganda Breweries Limited, Beyonic Ltd and others.
Strategic Objectives
The specific objectives of AgriNet over the next 5 year period include the following:
To increase out-reach to small scale farmers from 20,000 to 60,000;
To expand our grain processing and storage capacity by tenfold;
To more than triple our sales;
To attract, develop and retain motivated personnel that are committed to the achievement of the company’s objectives;
To acquire product and process certification from UNBS
Address
Suite No. 6 Kiwatule, Kampala
Plot 163 Ntinda-Naalya Road
Mob. +256 776 808183,
+256 757 495 950
Email: pnyende@agrinet.net
Web: www.agrinetug.net