By David Mwanje
Ugandan farmers growing coffee, cocoa, avocados and passion fruit could soon earn more from their harvests following renewed efforts to strengthen agricultural trade with the Netherlands.
DFCU Bank on Thursday hosted leaders from the Netherlands–Uganda Trade and Investment Platform, the Dutch Embassy and Rabobank at its Nakasero headquarters in Kampala. The meeting focused on practical steps to expand trade and improve incomes for farmers and agribusinesses.
Uganda currently exports goods worth about $184 million to the Netherlands each year while importing around $289 million. The Netherlands is Europe’s leading agricultural exporter and one of the continent’s key entry points into the wider European Union market.
For Ugandan farmers, this relationship offers access to higher-value buyers in Europe.
Agriculture remains the backbone of Uganda’s economy. The sector supports more than 65 percent of the populationand contributes about 24 percent to national output. However, many small farmers continue to face low farm-gate prices, limited access to technology and weak links to international markets.
Kate Kiiza, Executive Director and Chief Corporate and Institutional Banking Officer at DFCU Bank, said stronger trade partnerships can help farmers earn more from their production.
She noted that agriculture provides the main livelihood for millions of Ugandan households and that cooperation with the Netherlands could help shift the sector toward more commercial and export-driven farming.
Through partnerships with Rabobank and the Dutch development bank FMO, DFCU Bank is supporting improved seed varieties, modern farming practices and stronger agricultural value chains. FMO already has more than $205 million invested in Uganda.
Initiatives such as the Best Farmers programme are also helping thousands of farmers improve production quality and meet export standards required by international buyers.
Corrine Abbas, First Secretary for Economic Cooperation at the Dutch Embassy, said the partnership aims to support both large commercial farms and small-scale farmers across rural communities.
She said the programme is designed to help smallholder farmers, including women and young people, grow their operations into viable businesses capable of exporting and creating jobs locally.
Bank of Uganda Executive Director for Research and Policy Adam Mugume told participants that inflation is expected to remain stable, although rising global fuel and shipping costs could still influence trade.
He said Uganda’s stable economic policies and expanding international partnerships are strengthening investor confidence.
For farmers, the expected gains include better prices for export crops, new jobs in processing and packaging, and improved access to financing and training.
Experts also say knowledge transfer from Dutch agricultural technology, including greenhouse farming, could help Ugandan farmers increase productivity and adapt to climate pressures.
Analysts believe the partnership could expand steadily over the next decade as the Netherlands looks for reliable suppliers of tropical produce while Uganda seeks new markets and investment.
DFCU Bank said the next phase will focus on expanding trade finance and supporting agribusinesses that add value before exporting.
