The EcoProsperity Project, a five-year initiative by Swisscontact, aims to transform the economic prospects of 12,000 young people across ten districts in eastern and western Uganda.
With 70% of participants being young women and single mothers, the project prioritizes inclusive economic empowerment by promoting climate-smart agriculture, introducing innovative farming technologies, and strengthening linkages to private-sector markets. The initiative is revitalizing rural economies and enabling young people to build sustainable livelihoods.
In Budamuli Village, Bulamuti Sub-County, Kamuli District, young farmers like Kange Mary and Kasirye Shafik are redefining resilience in eastern Uganda. At just 24, Mary, a mother of one, transitioned from tailoring to farming after being introduced to new agricultural opportunities by a Community-Based Facilitator.
With support from Trafford Export Commodities Limited, a key private-sector partner, she planted 435 tomato plants, 130 Cape gooseberries, and 75 passion fruit vines. Within three months, she harvested and sold over 112 kilograms of tomatoes, with additional yields expected. The maturing gooseberries and passion fruits promise continued income beyond the tomato season.
The EcoProsperity Project is strengthening rural economies by enhancing market linkages, as demonstrated through its partnership with Trafford Exports Commodities, a leading regional agribusiness. Previously constrained by inconsistent produce supply, Trafford adopted a new strategy in collaboration with Swisscontact, working directly with smallholder farmers such as Mary and Shafik. In October 2024, the company mobilized 600 young farmers, providing agronomic training, access to agro-input credit, and direct market opportunities.
Furthermore, post-harvest losses, long a persistent challenge, are now being addressed through newly established Community Integrated Centers strategically located across three sub-counties in the region. Each center has the capacity to serve over 100 farmers, enhancing packaging, storage, and transport processes. As a result, Trafford has increased its export volumes by 50%, sourcing from farmers in Kamuli District and reaching up to 50 tonnes per month during the tomato season, while farmers are reporting income gains of up to 50%.
EcoProsperity’s focus goes beyond boosting incomes; it’s about resilience. By promoting regenerative practices like intercropping, minimal tillage, and organic soil management on a quarter acre per farmer, the program is helping young farmers diversify income streams, reduce climate risks, and restore soil health.
The project spans ten districts across eastern and western Uganda, with a target of reaching 12,000 smallholder farmers, 70% of them women. Just four months after its launch, over 1,000 farmers are already benefiting, with 56 months of implementation still ahead.
It is part of Swisscontact’s global commitment to inclusive, market-driven development, where local communities are not just recipients of aid but drivers of change. With early signs pointing to an average CHF 500 (UGX 2 million) annual income boost per farmer and private-sector partners eyeing 15% annual revenue growth, the momentum is building.
These gains, however, are just the beginning. Scaling up from early wins to systemic change will require sustained investment, adaptive learning, and deepened partnerships.
But one thing is clear: across Uganda’s rural heartlands, a quiet revolution is underway. Thanks to climate-smart farming, young Ugandans are not just cultivating crops; they’re cultivating hope.
This project is financed by Linsi Foundation, Happel Foundation and Canton Aargau, Canton of Basel-Landschaft, among other donors. It is part of the Swisscontact Development Programme, which is co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA).