Stanbic Incubator retool farmer groups to supply oil and gas sector

By Geofrey Achora Jr

HOIMA: with increased social economic activities in the oil and gas sector in Albertine Graben, different local farmer groups in Hoima and Kikubbe districts are positioning themselves to take the opportunity as a measure to embrace local content. #WhisperEyeNews

An estimated 45 farmer groups are acquiring hands-on skills in vegetable growing, poultry keeping, and farming this is initiated by Stanbic incubator with pure grow under the catholic diocese of Bujumbura West in Hoima.

According to Venus Mirembe, the managing administrator at the incubation explains that after the training the farmers are transitioned from subsistence to commercial to be able to tap into arising potential with the anticipated exploration

Mirembe adds: “After the training they are then given and practice what they have learned from here, we did the selection using the diocese and also went through the district litany and also worked with different representatives in the area so far we are registering success”.

She said more groups will be enrolled with contracts in place between the Petroleum Authority of Uganda and the Stanbic business incubator limited and other partners to build the capacity of over 200 Ugandan enterprises along the crude export oil pipeline route to compete for contracts to supply Uganda’s oil and gas sector and another related opportunity.

The business development training is one of the three major components of the medium MSMEs business linkages project along the East African Crude Pipeline (EACOP) Project being implemented by the Petroleum Authority of Uganda with support from the African Development Bank.

Farmers narrate success stories

From Hoima City to Kikubbe mentorship foundation is a 30 km journey, here is Pastor Arthur Biyatunga a model farmer on his poultry farm. Arthur says the training has transformed farmers’ mindset about oil projects with the majority now believing that the oil story is real.

He adds that beyond acquiring the training, they are mentoring mentorship and opportunity to access finance and markets.

“Our membership has drastically increased we are over 100 members after getting these skills and this key to supporting local enterprises by the way of building their capacity to ensure they compete for contracts to supply Uganda’s oil and gas sector we are good to go,” Arthur said

Besides majoring in poultry farming the foundation is involved in large-scale maize-growing enterprise.

At siga foundation in Hoima City Peace Athuhare revealed that the partnership was timely as the private sector was shocked by the problem of youth and women’s unemployment

“As women, we are empowered through this capacity building we shall harness all the potential opportunity in the oil and gas sector” she explained.

With oil and gas sector is expected to increase Uganda’s GDP by 22% in the construction phase and this will employ 14,00 people directly and 45,000 people indirectly according to Okumu Ronald a migrant farmer in the area this will find most farmers steady to take up the chances with the already required skills.   

Stanbic business incubator limited is mandated to train and facilitates MSMEs to develop resilient business access-ready markets, finance, and other business support resources.

Since its establishment in 2008, Stanbic business incubator has trained 3,234 Ugandan entrepreneurs attached to 2,007 SMEs.