Tap into agri-tourism potential, SMEs urged

Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in agriculture and tourism sectors have been encouraged to tap into the potential of agri-tourism to improve their livelihoods.

Authorities in business and government urged small enterprise owners to leverage Uganda’s rich ecology and strength in agriculture to diversify tourism offerings and widen their income-generation pool.

This was during an agri-tourism MSME training in Fort Portal City this week, which attracted over 100 farmers, tour and hospitality operators from the city and Kabarole district.

It included a full day tour of a model farm – Biglad Agri-Tourism Farm in Kabarole as well as business and financial management training.

Using his story as an inspiration, Julius Bigabwa, the proprietor of Biglad said: “We are blessed with a good environment and many features that attract tourists from across the globe. Take advantage of these and offer something the tourists what cannot easily get anywhere, especially organic agro-practices. Add value on the products, and take visitors on your farm through that process.”

He also advised SMEs to do continuous education, noting that the community needs more people practicing Agri-Tourism to be able to attract and serve a large potential market.

Bigabwa’s farm has a variety of integrated agri-enterprises including mangos, macadamia, fish farming, poultry, cattle farming, backyard gardening, and animal feeds production.

The training was under the Agri-SME Development Programme 2024, funded by Post Bank Uganda and implemented by Federation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (FSME).

Themed Gattako Omutindo (Add value), the programme aims to support Agri-SMEs to add value to their produce. Besides Fort Portal city, the 2024 edition has been in Soroti (for Millet production) and will be in Arua (Cassava) and Kampala (Coffee).

During the Fort Portal training, participating MSMEs highlighted recurring constraints to their growth, including limited access to affordable finance and lack of best financial management practices as well as inadequate market oportunities.

Access to finance

Conducting a financial literacy training, Post Bank Fort Portal branch manager, Roger Barozi, oriented participating SMEs into intricacies of banking, advising them to always first understand their businesses and its environment before they consider seeking finances to grow it.

“We want to finance your business, but you need to know that in banking, we don’t speculate. We want to see your experience in the business & sector, and how you intend to utilise the funds, get market & grow enterprise revenues,” Barozi said.

The chief guest, the Resident City Commissioner of Fort Portal City, Hellen Catherine Kamwine encouraged MSMEs to form groups and leverage the power of a collective voice to lobby and access affordable finances that government has availed in various financial institutions.

She also advised MSMEs to brand Fort Portal City using a high quality of products in Agriculture and Tourism.

“Love your enterprise and make your products unique. When you compromise on quality, you lose reputation, market and livelihood for yourself and the whole community,” Kamwine said.