Molly Owampiire, a 41-year-old maize farmer, had spent several years tilling her one-acre farm and had two zero-grazed cows.
However, like many smallholder farmers in Nabingoola village, Mubende district, she struggled with limited resources, but this changed when she joined Kanyogoga Kigando Farmers’ Co-operative Society in 2020.
Initially, she was reluctant to join the co-operative thinking it operated like a savings and credit cooperative society (SACCOS) that demanded collateral for loans.
That changed in 2020, when a friend explained that co-operatives were different from SACCOS. Owampiire learnt that membership was based on farming performance, not financial guarantees, which encouraged her to join.
Before joining the co-operative in2020, like other farmers, Owampiire faced difficulties covering seasonal costs of maize.
Besides, the revenue from their maize harvests was barely enough to cater for her family’s needs, let alone expansion of the enterprise.
Her story changed when she joined the Kanyogoga Kigando Farmers’ Co-operative. Owampiire realised that commitment, not wealth, was key.
With guidance on seedlings, garden preparation and harvesting, her farming approach and financial planning were transformed, leading to better results.
Co-operatives changing lives
Kanyogoga Kigando Farmers’ Co0operative Society began in 2017 with 12 farmers and has grown into a district-wide model of success and empowerment. Today, the co-operative has 465 members.
The co-operative was born out of frustration with poor market prices, exploitation by middlemen and limited agricultural support.
Pilgrim Musinguzi, the co-operative chairperson, says the vision was simple.
“We wanted to make farming everyone’s business and ensure it was profitable. Most farmers were stuck in survival mode, but we believed we could change that together,” he says.
The co-operative focuses on maize, coffee and dairy, the main enterprises in the district.
“Our land is fertile and our people are hardworking,” Musinguzi says, adding that maize and coffee give them seasonal and annual income, while milk provides daily cash flow. The co-operative has a central milk collection point where 2,000-3,000lts of milk are deposited daily and collects over 65,000 tonnes of maize each season. With coffee, they harvest 10,000-20,000 tonnes per year.
“Maize is our flagship. We don’t just sell the grain, we process it into flour, maize bran and other value-added products,” Muhammad Kakooza, the vice-chairperson of the Kanyogoga Kigando Farmers’ Co-operative Society, says.
By adopting value addition, the co-operative ensures members earn more from their produce through flour as opposed to selling raw grains.
Kakooza adds that value-added produce has enabled the co-operative secure stable markets with schools, prisons, institutions and local shops.
The dairy project was started in 2019 with support from the Agricultural Cluster Development Project. The donation included a milk cooler, which has improved the quality and storage of the product.
Mary Bwerukka, a committee member, says regarding milk, the members benefit from both direct sales and opportunities to process dairy into products like ghee.
“We ensure that every household has a daily income stream,” Bwerukka says.
Milk prices range from sh500 tosh700 per litre during rainy seasons, and sh800 to sh1,000 in dry seasons.
“Farmers no longer worry about market access, thanks to their milk cooler that preserves large volumes for buyers,” she adds.
Bwerukka says the co-operative plans to diversify into making yoghurt, to increase their product offerings, farmers’ incomes and expand their market reach.
Training, value addition Fred Tumusiime, the co-operative’s secretary, says one of the key drivers of the co-operative’s success is value addition and training.
“We realised early on that to compete in the market, we had to improve quality and reduce losses,” Tumusiime says.
Through regular sessions, farmers learn modern farming techniques, proper post-harvest handling and basic agribusiness skills like record-keeping, marketing and financial management.
As a result, the quality of maize and other produce has greatly improved, boosting farmers’ incomes and competitiveness.
In 2020, after training all farmers in quality control, the co-operative earned a Q-mark certification from the Uganda National Bureau of Standards.
This achievement boosted trust in their maize flour and grains, opening up bigger and better markets nationwide.
With support from the Agricultural Cluster Development Project under the agriculture ministry, the co-operative received a grant of sh137m. This was used to set up a maize milling plant.
The members independently raised sh80m that was used to acquire equipment to furnish the plant. Today, the co-operative produces quality maize flour and animal feed, processing 500kg to 1,000kg weekly, depending on stock, customer orders and the season.
Market
The co-operative’s market includes local schools, prisons, and institutions, where they supply dairy products, maize flour, and other goods. Currently, none of their products are exported.
Achievements
Venturing into value addition through the setting up of a maize milling plant has been their biggest achievement thus far, Musinguzi says.
“It gave us control over the value chain and ensured members earn decent returns,” he says.
From 12 founding members in 2017, the co-operative now boasts of 465.
“We have trained all our farmers in modern agricultural practices, quality control and value addition. That is the heart of our progress,” Musinguzi says.
The co-operative employs seven staff and offers over 100 casual jobs annually, especially during harvest and processing seasons.
“We bought land to build stores and house machinery, and our assets are now valued at around sh800m,” he says.
Seasonal profits range from sh5m to sh7m, with a portion reinvested into other co-operative projects. “We believe in growing together.
That is the real social impact, when one farmer improves, the whole village improves.
Musinguzi says owning a tractor is a major achievement, as it has reduced production costs and improved land preparation for all co-operative members across the community.
The co-operative’s success has inspired the formation of 22 other farmer groups in Mubende district, according to Musinguzi.
He adds that farmers from distant areas regularly visit to learn from its model and replicate it in their own communities.
The co-operative has received international recognition through visits from regional and global partners seeking to learn from their model.
Some of their maize and coffee is already drawing interest from exporters.
Challenges
Kakooza says the co-operative’s greatest challenge is the high cost of agricultural inputs.
Without access to affordable seeds, fertilisers and chemicals, many farmers struggle to achieve good yields, which affects their income and overall productivity.
Since the co-operative does not yet have its ownagro-input shop, members must buy inputs from distant towns at higher prices.
Poor transportation infrastructure worsens the situation during the rainy seasons, bad roads make it difficult and costly to transport produce to the co-operative.
Kakooza also highlights the impact of climate change.
“The weather is no longer predictable. Sometimes, when maize is ready to dry, the rains come and spoil everything, drastically reducing a farmer’s returns.
“That is why we urgently need a mobile maize dryer. Manual drying is slow and risky, affecting the quality.” Despite the setbacks, Kakooza remains hopeful.
“With support, we can overcome these challenges. The vision is clear, we just need the right tools to move faster.” Plans The co-operative envisions expanding its operations across the country.
“So far, five other co-operatives have partnered with us because of our transparency, proper record-keeping, and proven success. We want to be a model for others, showing that farmers can thrive when they are organised, trained and united around a clear vision,” Tumusiime says.
Additionally, the co-operative also plans to expand its network by partnering with more co-operatives across the country.
“Working together strengthens our bargaining power,” Musinguzi says. To boost the returns from coffee, the co-operative plans to acquire processing equipment.
“With proper hulling, grading and packaging, we can access international markets that pay better than local ones. In addition, this move will create more employment opportunities,” Kakooza says.
To encourage digital literacy, the co-operative management plans to set up an Internet café.
“This will help boost digital literacy among our members and also serve as a hub for farmer training,” Musinguzi adds.
There is need for greater government involvement to further improve the outcomes of co-operatives.
“We are advocating for better transport infrastructure and access to modern mechanisation tools to ease production and improve efficiency,” he says.
How members benefit Florence Mulongo says before joining, she struggled to earn a decent income from her farm.
“Now, I sell through the co-operative and the prices are fair. I managed to build a new house and send my children to good schools. I have also learned to plan my farm better and get the most out of my land,” she says.
Viliginia Kobusingye, 24, adds that the co-operative does not only support farming, it builds communities.
“There is teamwork, regular training, and we get access to inputs at a fair price,” she says.
The youth are also seeing opportunity. Some have become full-time farmers, while others work in the co-operative’s milling plant or help with transporting and selling products.
With reliable markets and better income, members now have hope and financial stability. Ronald Lotet, an environment officer based in Mubende, says value addition means transforming raw agricultural produce into higher-value goods before they reach the market.
“Instead of selling raw maize, for example, farmers process it into maize flour or animal feed, which fetches a better price,” Lotet says.
He emphasises that value addition improves income, reduces post-harvest losses, and creates job opportunities within farming communities.
Lotet adds that farmers who engage in value addition gain better bargaining power and access to more stable markets.
“It is a game-changer because it moves farmers from simply surviving on low crop prices to running profitable agribusinesses,” he says.
Proper value addition also promotes environmental sustainability by encouraging efficient use of farm resources.
Finances
Careful financial management is one of the co-operative’s key strengths, Bwerukka explains.
“We avoid bank loans because our income depends on seasonal harvests. Instead, we grow steadily through members’ contributions, which protects us from the risks of debt,” she says.
n addition to financial caution, the co-operative emphasises transparency in its operations, regular audits, and open meetings where members participate in decision-making.
Good record-keeping, fair leadership elections, and training in co-operative management are also prioritised, ensuring trust among members and promoting sustainability even during challenging seasons.
These best practices have helped build a resilient co-operative.
What makes Kanyogoga tick?
What sets Kanyogoga Kigando Farmers’ Cooperative apart is its foundation of trust, transparency and unity, explains Musinguzi.
“Every member is involved in decision-making, and financial records are open to all. We believe in honest work and accountability. Whether it’s profits or challenges, we face them together. That’s why our co-operative continues to grow and inspire others,” Musinguzi says.
The co-operative also believes that every farmer, no matter how much land they have, can thrive if they work together.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Some of the co-operative’s members. It now has a membership of 465. Photos by Umar Nsubuga
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