Kiryandongo, Uganda — Yara East Africa Limited, a leading crop nutrition company, in partnership with Asili Agriculture, today launched a new Agri-Hub Knowledge Centre in Kigumba, Kiryandongo District. The centre is designed to serve as a transformative platform to deliver agronomic knowledge, demonstrate sustainable farming practices, and support smallholder and commercial farmers with the tools, skills, and inputs required to increase productivity and build resilient livelihoods.
The launch marks a significant milestone in the journey to grow a nature-positive food future in Uganda—an ambition Yara shares with stakeholders across the agricultural value chain.
During his remarks as the Guest of Honor, Hon. Raphael Magyezi applauded Asili Farms for their impactful work in empowering women and youth. He highlighted that the majority of workers at Asili are women and youth, which has greatly contributed to reducing unemployment in the community.
The Minister also emphasised the importance of soil health, stating:
“You must test the soil. You must monitor its health. You must feed it. Don’t just take away from it. Human survival depends on soil.”
He recognised Asili’s commitment to innovation in agribusiness, integrating technology and knowledge across the entire farming journey – from soil management and seed selection to fertiliser application, storage, and sales. He encouraged farmers to visit Asili Farms to learn and adopt these innovative practices for their own growth.
Finally, he underscored the power of partnerships, applauding the collaboration between Yara East Africa and Asili as an example of how strategic partnerships can address farming challenges, improve yields, and transform livelihoods. He pledged his support for the hub and called upon farmers in the region to join and benefit from its services.
The Agri-Hub is a practical response to the pressing need for innovation and resilience in agriculture, especially as Uganda seeks to address threats to food security, rising food costs, and low farm productivity. The facility will provide hands-on demonstrations, soil testing, farmer training, and access to quality crop nutrition products, while promoting regenerative agriculture practices that preserve soil health and support climate adaptation.
In his opening remarks at the launch, Luis Alfredo Pérez, Yara Executive Vice President for Africa and Asia, emphasized the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships in transforming Africa’s food systems and building resilient economies:
“Agriculture remains the backbone of most African economies, and Uganda is no exception. It is not only a source of food but also the main livelihood for over 70% of the population and contributes approximately 24% to Uganda’s GDP. The pathway to economic development, job creation, and improved food security lies in how well we support the farmer. At Yara, we believe that the transformation of agriculture cannot happen in isolation—it requires intentional, long-term partnerships. This Agri-Hub in Kiryandongo, launched in collaboration with Asili, is a practical example of what is possible when public and private actors come together with a shared vision: to empower farmers, strengthen food systems, and unlock sustainable prosperity.”
He reiterated Yara’s commitment to working alongside partners across the agricultural value chain to enable farmers to adapt to climate challenges, increase productivity, and contribute to a nature-positive food future across Africa and beyond.
William Ng’eno, Country Manager for Yara East Africa (Kenya & Uganda), remarked:
“As a key and responsible player in the agriculture sector, Yara’s ambition is to grow a nature-positive food future. We do this by scaling up knowledge sharing to responsibly produce more food, more sustainably and more profitably for the grower. Adapting to the emerging threats to food production is critical for our food security—as rightly emphasized by the government. With up to 54% of household expenditure going to food, the time to act is now. Our collaboration with Asili allows us to reach growers with the knowledge and tools to produce more per unit area while lowering the cost of living through catalyzing crop productivity.”
The Agri-Hub will specifically focus on key crops such as maize and soybeans, offering farmers in Northern and Western Uganda access to tailored crop nutrition programs, training on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), and data-driven insights on increasing yields and profitability. The initiative also supports last-mile delivery of inputs, use of digital solutions, and market linkages to close the yield gap and build a prosperous rural economy.
Philipp Prinz, Managing Partner and Co-CEO of Asili Agriculture, added:
“At Asili, we believe that sustainable agricultural transformation begins with empowering the grower. This Agri-Hub, launched in partnership with Yara, is a bold step toward giving farmers access to knowledge, innovation, and quality inputs.
Through our integrated model that combines commercial production with a robust network of smallholder farmers, we are committed to turning science into practice and ensuring the farmer is at the center of Uganda’s food system transformation.”
The launch also reinforces the importance of strategic partnerships in bridging the gap between agricultural policy and practice. The facility is expected to support joint research and development, facilitate farmer field demonstrations, and deliver value through regenerative agriculture models that improve soil structure, water retention, and long-term profitability.
The Kigumba Agri-Hub is the first of several planned knowledge centres under the partnership. Yara and Asili will continue to explore collaborative opportunities across training, sustainability, and digital agriculture to elevate Uganda’s agricultural sector and contribute meaningfully to regional food security.
Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
