Blogs
November 11, 2025 • 3 min read
The Food and Nutrition Security Marketplace, organized by the INSPIRE project in Kamuli District, brought together the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN)-funded partners, farmers, private sector actors, and government representatives to showcase how integrated and farmer-led approaches are transforming Uganda’s agricultural systems. The event highlighted innovations in climate-smart farming, financial inclusion, and sustainable land use, while celebrating the Participatory Integrated Planning (PIP) approach as a driver of community ownership and resilience. Through collaboration among projects like INSPIRE, INCLUDE, A-GRIP, and others, the marketplace demonstrated EKN’s holistic strategy in action, connecting farmers, partners, and innovations to build a more resilient and food-secure Uganda.
The INSPIRE project led the organization and coordination of a flagship event, “The Food and Nutrition Security Marketplace: Connecting Farmers, Partners, and Innovation,” held in Butansi Sub-County, Kamuli District. The event demonstrated the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN) integrated strategy in Uganda, bringing together projects including INSPIRE (GOAL & WENR), BRIGHT (IFDC), COMMON GROUND (ISSD), INCLUDE (SNV), A-GRIP (Cordaid), FORT (Agriterra), and Pearl Capital Partners (PCP) to showcase collective achievements in advancing food and nutrition security.
INSPIRE, which champions the Participatory Integrated Planning (PIP) approach, led the coordination and event setup, ensuring strong collaboration among all partners. The initiative aimed to accelerate learning, promote innovation, and strengthen systemic linkages across agricultural value chains.
A Vibrant Hub of Learning and Innovation
Over 800 participants, including 450+ smallholder farmers, engaged directly with private sector actors, cooperatives, and financial institutions. Exhibition stalls showcased integrated solutions around climate-smart agriculture, sustainable land use, financial inclusion, and farming systems innovation, embodying the theme, “Connecting Farmers, Partners and Innovation.”
Voices from Government and Partners
During the official opening, Mukiibi Nasser, Chief Administrative Officer of Kamuli District, expressed appreciation to EKN for its continued support. “Through A-GRIP, farmers have been able to register land under the Certificate of Customary Ownership, improving food production through better land use.”
Judith Okuonzia Tomma, Deputy Project Manager of SNV’s INCLUDE project, highlighted complementarity among the portfolio: “INCLUDE focuses on livestock, while INSPIRE supports crop production and irrigation implemented collaboratively with partners such as PCP and District Local Governments.”
Delivering the keynote, Mr. Bouwe-Jann Smeding, Deputy Head of Mission and Head of Development Cooperation at EKN, reaffirmed: “We value the PIP approach since it empowers farmers to improve their situations. Working together can take us to the next step a prosperous Uganda.”
Scaling Farmer-Led Resilience
A panel discussion, moderated by the INSPIRE team, explored how low-cost, farmer-led innovations, when layered on the PIP approach, strengthen resilience in Uganda’s lowland and highland communities.
Emmanuel Etonu, a PIP Expert, explained: “PIP builds motivation, ownership, and resilience by aligning with household and community priorities.”
Farmer representative Edward Bukoma shared tangible results: “After Common Ground, we replaced eucalyptus with soil-restoring trees like Albizia and Calliandra. This reduced land degradation and improved feed supply.”
Private sector engagement also featured prominently. DHERO Group and INSPIRE jointly designed farmer-centred technologies and supply chain linkages, enabling cassava farmers to supply Den Heus, a Dutch fish feed producer. Pearl Capital Partners detailed how SACCO models and fintech-based systems enhance farmers’ access to finance.
Sheila Karungi, Sub-County Chief of Kamuli, emphasized the social impact of inclusive approaches: “We’ve seen reduced domestic violence and increased ownership due to community involvement through PIP.”
Commitment to Systemic Transformation
Julius Twinamatsiko from the Ministry of Agriculture commended the marketplace: “I have seen excellent innovations aligned with MAAIF’s strategy, especially post-harvest handling technologies that reduce losses.”
A representative from the Ministry of Local Government added: “Coordinating with local government structures ensures sustainability and accountability.”
The Marketplace vividly demonstrated how EKN’s portfolio-based approach is transforming theory into practice, connecting farmers, the private sector, and local government for resilient agricultural growth in Uganda.
Continued Learning through Peer Monitoring
Following the event, the EKN team conducted peer monitoring visits across the Busoga region, hosted by INSPIRE, INCLUDE, FORT, and A-GRIP projects. The visits strengthened cross-learning and tracked progress in supporting farmer-led systems.
At Bunawona SACCO (Jinja), 117 farmers accessed agricultural loans to boost productivity. At the same time, the DHERO Group showcased improved post-harvest handling, enabling farmers to store and sell their produce at favourable prices, which directly enhances household incomes.
