Stories
October 26, 2026 • 3 min read
Through INSPIRE, Joseph Ssenyonjo is turning his tomato plot into a practical learning space for farmers in Uganda. With training and quality seeds, he is sharing improved farming techniques and encouraging others to put these lessons into practice.
Tomato farming in Uganda can provide farmers with a source of income, but success depends on good crop management. In Nsiima Bulondo, Kamuli District, farmer Joseph Ssenyonjo is helping other farmers learn practical ways to improve tomato production.
When Joseph became a lead farmer, he knew which crop he wanted to master: tomatoes. He leads the Butende Vegetable Growers Farmer Learning Group and wants to share what he learns with other farmers in his community.
Learning better tomato farming practices
INSPIRE, generously funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, helped Joseph establish a demonstration plot where farmers could observe good tomato production practices in action.
The project also connected the group with NASECO, a seed company. NASECO supplied quality tomato seed and trained farmers in essential techniques. These included site selection, nursery management, irrigation, mulching, and pest and disease control.
Joseph now shares these lessons with other members of the Farmer Learning Group. The demonstration plot gives them a practical place to observe the techniques and learn how to apply them on their own farms.
“INSPIRE gave us a choice of which crop we wanted to grow and I chose tomatoes because I wanted to master one crop and then teach others. After the NASECO training, I can show my group how to prepare the nursery, mulch and manage pests, and they see it working on the plot before they try it on their own” says Joseph Ssenyonjo.
How tomato farming practices are spreading
The demonstration plot has become a learning space for local farmers. Yusuf Kisule is one of those who have benefited from it. He observed Joseph’s approach and adopted the same practices on his own farm.
Seeing the techniques in practice can help farmers understand how to apply them. It also gives them an opportunity to learn from another farmer’s experience before trying new methods themselves.
INSPIRE supports this approach across the community. The programme has trained 30 PIP Innovators to share knowledge with other households. They also help families turn their plans into practical action, allowing useful ideas to spread from farmer to farmer.
“Joseph’s plot shows how INSPIRE works: farmers learn best by seeing and observation Across our 10 districts, lead farmers are hosting learning plots for Farmer Learning Groups, linked to private sector partners such as NASECO for quality seed and training. When a neighbour like Yusuf adopts what he has seen and applies it on his own farm, that is knowledge reaching households directly, and it is how we will reach 240,000 smallholder farmers,” says Gerrit Holtland, Team Leader, INSPIRE project
Building on what farmers learn
Joseph’s demonstration plot provides an ongoing opportunity for farmers to learn about tomato production. As they observe the techniques, they can consider how to apply them on their own farms and share their experience with others.
Through his leadership, the Farmer Learning Group, and its connection with a seed company, Joseph is helping make practical farming knowledge more accessible in Nsiima Bulondo. His work creates opportunities for other farmers to learn from what they see and put those lessons into practice.
