Uganda - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Garuga Coffee seeks to champion sustainable coffee production in Uganda. This will be done by mobilising coffee farmers and providing technical, agronomic, and financial support We shall then ensure that the farmers get the best prices for their coffee.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

The Garuga Coffee project is a meticulously planned endeavour that aims to improve the livelihoods of Uganda's 1.7 million small-scale coffee farmers. With the strategic support of Garuga Coffee Limited, these farmers will be equipped to increase productivity from their farms and enhance the value of their coffee to attract more reasonable prices. The support will include providing high-quality planting materials, inputs like fertilisers and herbicides, irrigation technologies at competitive prices, and agronomy support. Garuga Farmer will support the farmers in adding value to their products to ensure more income. We shall also ensure that farmers get the best prices at every stage of the coffee value chain at which they decide to stop. We are committed to providing long-term sustainability for coffee farmers' livelihoods by empowering these farmers. Garuga Coffee will strategically pilot this project in western Uganda and later expand it to the rest of the country.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

Uganda's coffee farmers, a significant portion of the country's agricultural sector, are grappling with a pressing issue. Due to many factors, they cannot realise the full potential of their coffee farms, resulting in limited production. These main problems that Garuga Coffee seeks to solve include; 1. They have limited access to inputs. These inputs, such as seedlings, fertilisers, pesticides, and herbicides, are relatively expensive and cannot be accessed on credit. 2. Coffee farmers do not practice good agronomic practices because of limited extension services. They do not know where to access these practices, and those who know where to get them cannot afford them. 3. Small-scale coffee farmers can also not negotiate better prices for their coffee because they produce small quantities, do not add value and are exploited by intermediaries. 4. They employ little or no farming technologies like irrigation because of limited working capital and limited access to credit.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your project intends to provide (at least 3).

Garuga Coffee, as a smallholder farmers' partner, will not only mobilize funds and extend credit to them but also provide a ready market for their coffee at the best prices. This financial support and market access can significantly enhance their income and livelihoods, giving them hope and optimism for a brighter future. Garuga Coffeewill not only mobilize and aggregate small holder farmers into farmer groups but also provide inputs and farm technologies like solar-powered irrigation at a discounted price. These resources will empower them to improve their farms' yields. By being part of a group, these farmers can negotiate better prices for their produce, advocate for better services, and feel more integral to the business. At Garuga Coffee, we stand by our farmers, especially during critical seasons. We understand their challenges and are committed to providing free agronomy support and extending inputs and technologies on credit when they need them most.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your project is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

Our targeted beneficiaries are the 1.7 million Ugandan small-holder coffee farmers. The project is being piloted in western Uganda. We shall leverage the learning to expand to the rest of the country.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2024-02-01

01.06 How many other partners are associated with your business venture?

0

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

0

01.08 Please describe the profile of each of the other partners (skills, experience, etc.)

0

01.09 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link here:

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

l) Agriculture

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

We are ensuring that smallholder farmers can access inputs and technologies on credit. This will enable them to improve the productivity of their coffee farms and, hence, increase their farm incomes. As part of our commitment to fair trade, we are extending smallholder farmers a ready market that offers competitive prices for their produce. Our project also includes providing farmers with free agronomy support. This support will increase their revenue and significantly reduce their poverty levels, thereby contributing to the overall development of the agricultural sector. The formation of farmer networks is a testament to our belief in the power of collective action. This collaborative approach will enable them to work in groups and foster the development of other poverty alleviation initiatives. For instance, the farmers we have mobilized could decide to combine their coffee, add value, and reap the benefits of value addition and bulking.

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

4

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

02.03.01 My project contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

Our projects focus on the improvement of livelihoods for small holder farmers. With improved incomes, reduced poverty levels these farmers will be assured of access to better health

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

4

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

5

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

My project targets empowering both genders involved in the coffee production chain without discrimination according to gender

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

4

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

4

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

My project which is more involved in providing coffee farmers with necessary inputs like herbicides, fertilizers, irrigation equipment and financial support. This fosters an environment where they can achieve higher productivity, economic stability, and sustainable growth. This not only benefits the individual farmers but also contributes to broader well being of their communities

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

Am planning to put up a coffee milling machine, a greenhouse, there will also be major technological advancements like providing farmers with better irrigation equipment, pest control methods and harvesting machinery. The project will also focus educating and training farmers the modern methods of coffee farming. Am also planning on developing an app that helps to detect coffee pests and diseases to also provide a way on how to control and treat them.

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

In the project we are planning to sensitize and adopt sustainable farming practices which include organic farming, agroforestry, shade-grown coffee. By ensuring soil health, conserving water, and preserving biodiversity, these methods ensure long term productivity and environmental sustainability.

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

The project will generally deal in environmentally friendly activities across the coffee production chain ie use of standard and approved agrochemicals, use of organic materials, also discourage encroaching on environmental sensitive areas for growing and setting of coffee processing infrastructure

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

4

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

4

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

02.16.01 My project contributes to the Peace justice and strong institutions goal

4

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

4

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

05.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

3

05.02 The product/service we envision creating represents an entirely new type of product/service.

5

05.03 The product/service we envision creating could be described as a new technology.

5

05.04 The product/service we envision creating is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.05 The product/service we envision creating could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

6

05.06 The product/service we envision creating responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

4

05.07 The product/service we envision creating is a new version of an old product/service.

6

05.08 Justification

My project focuses from the beginning off the coffee production chain ie from seedlings until the coffee cup. I don't want to mainly focus an a certain part in the but the whole chain which will evenly improve the whole chains

05.09 Who are your main potential competitors and what makes you stand out from them?

People already in business I want to first empower the local farmers which will create a strong relationship hence making it easy to do business like acquiring their harvest for processing along the value chain

10.06 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

Yes I have empowered a group of women with coffee inputs such qa fertiliser