The Ag-BDS Ecosystem Enhancement Project (ABEEP) has officially launched its Training Programme for Agricultural Business Development Service (Ag-BDS) Providers, aimed at strengthening Uganda’s agribusiness support systems.
This initiative is led by a consortium comprising the African Management Institute (AMI), the Agribusiness Market Ecosystem Alliance (AMEA), and the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU), with funding from AGRA. The programme seeks to empower Ag-BDS providers to enhance the growth, resilience, and competitiveness of Agri-SMEs across the country.
The launch event took place on Friday, 20 June 2025, at Hotel Africana in Kampala, and brought together stakeholders including AGRA Uganda, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (MTIC), and the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF).
ABEEP is strategically designed to close critical gaps in Uganda’s agricultural ecosystem by improving both the quality and accessibility of business development services for Agri-MSMEs. With agriculture employing over 70% of the workforce and contributing 24% to the national GDP (UBOS, 2024), the success of Agri-MSMEs is vital to Uganda’s economic growth. Yet, they continue to face challenges such as limited access to finance, markets, and technical expertise.
David Wozemba, AGRA’s Country Director in Uganda, spoke on the programme’s significance:
“We are not the ones to transform the food systems—we are catalytic. Real transformation happens when every actor in the ecosystem understands their role, aligns their value, and brings solutions that respond to what is truly broken.”
ABEEP aligns with Uganda’s National Development Plans (NDP III and IV), with objectives that include enhancing the capacity of Ag-BDS providers to deliver high-quality, market-responsive services tailored to Agri-MSMEs; improving access to finance, market linkages, and technology; supporting women, youth, and rural-based agribusinesses; and establishing a robust BDS ecosystem through frameworks such as the soon-to-be-gazetted National BDS Standards.
Alvin Katto, AMI Uganda Country Manager, highlighted the programme’s innovative delivery:
“AMI’s blended learning model combines practical tools with hands-on support, enabling Ag-BDS providers to deliver impactful services that drive Agri-MSME growth. Over the next four months, 60 Ag-BDS providers will undergo intensive training—learning to position their clients for growth by accessing markets, securing finance, embracing digitalization, and aligning with national BDS standards.”
Harrison Kaziro, Uganda’s Regional Network Facilitator at AMEA, stressed the need for long-term reform:
“If we are serious about transforming MSMEs, we must stop recycling short-term projects and start investing in professional systems that outlive donor funding. The current landscape is fragmented and underfunded—AMEA is here to fix that. Through collaboration, certification, and a redefined BDS ecosystem, we can create a future where SMEs thrive and economies grow sustainably. This is not just a project—it’s a movement.”
Ronald Kyagulanyi, Coordinator and Economic Research Analyst at PSFU, spoke on the role of mindset change in business support:
“These new standards aren’t just about compliance—they’re about mindset transformation. As service providers, we must first see ourselves as entrepreneurs. That means strengthening our internal leadership, capacity, and delivery of impactful, inclusive, and accessible services. Only then can we truly unlock the private sector’s potential in Uganda.”
The event also featured a keynote address by Johnson Abitekaniza, Assistant Commissioner for Training & Business Development at MTIC. He challenged stakeholders to rethink business development services:
“BDS must move beyond motivational talk. We need practical, context-driven support that improves enterprise productivity, performance, and sustainability. We must professionalize the sector, certify providers, and ensure local relevance—avoiding generic, high-speed consultancy that’s detached from community realities.”
The training programme is a timely intervention, coinciding with Uganda’s FY 2025/26 national budget, which has allocated significant resources to agriculture—particularly agro-industrialisation—to help the sector achieve its 8% growth target.
ABEEP, through its collaborative approach and strategic focus, aims to pave the way for a professional, effective, and sustainable agribusiness support ecosystem that will drive long-term transformation in Uganda’s agricultural sector.
