By KT Reporter
Hundreds of farmers in Uganda’s West Nile districts of Nebbi, Zombo, and Arua have acquired skills to produce bio-liquid fertilizer and organic compost manure under the five-year Power of Voices project, a development hailed as a game changer for coffee producers.
Bio-liquid fertilizer, made from nutrient-rich plants and manure, preserves the organic quality of crops and increases market access and value.
Launched in 2020 and running until December 2025, the project is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, supported by Oxfam, and implemented by a consortium of partners: the Agency for Community Empowerment (AFCE), SEATINI Uganda, ESSAF Uganda, Uganda Agribusiness Alliance (UAA), and the Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group (CSBAG).
The initiative focuses on coffee and horticulture value chains, supporting six micro-stations with 1,388 members—665 women and 723 men—in Nebbi, Zombo, and Arua districts.
Speaking to farmers in Ayida Village, Warr Sub-County, Zombo District, Project Officer Muddy Oyikuru stressed that the project promotes organic products because they fetch higher prices internationally.
Sabiti God’s Compassion, a community-based trainer at Pakia Azi Micro Station in Zombo District, noted that while bio-liquid fertilizer was initially developed for coffee, it has been successfully applied to other crops.
Model farmer Jovia Akutu from Ayida Village credited the training for boosting her coffee yields.
She added that contour trenching and composting methods taught under the project have further improved both soil conservation and crop quality.
Meanwhile, Mariam Akiror, Head of Program Development, Quality and Management at the Uganda Agribusiness Alliance, emphasized the need to expand organic food production for healthier communities.
“There is certain food that we have to look at more in this community that nourishes us. Nutritious food is what we need to have in our kitchen gardens,” Akiror said.
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