Business skills empowerment program through incubation and mentorship for selected pig agripreneurs in Masaka and Mukono districts: process, outcomes and lessons

Kamau, L., Tusiime, G., Ahumuza, R., Marshall, K. and Ouma, E. 2024. Business skills empowerment program through incubation and mentorship for selected pig agripreneurs in Masaka and Mukono districts: process, outcomes and lessons. Nairobi, Kenya: ILRI.

The agripreneur business incubation/acceleration program, started in 2023 in Uganda to address challenges associated with market inefficiencies including weak linkages between pig farmers, pig aggregators and input and service providers; poor business practices by artificial insemination (AI) technicians/animal health service providers and limited networks to enable optimal business operations.

The objective of the business incubation/acceleration program focused on both the supply side (agripreneur focused) and the demand side (farmer focused) as follows: Supply side: • To empower the pig agripreneurs specifically AI service providers and pig aggregators through business skilling and mentorship • To strengthen the linkages between the pig agripreneurs and finance institutions to enhance access to finance for business upgrading through better business practices • To enhance the linkages between the pig agripreneurs, pig farmers, finance institutions and other business development services through an online networking platform

Demand side: • To catalyse demand for the inputs and services delivered by the agripreneurs by sensitizing pig farmer groups on the necessary inputs and services required to run the pig enterprise as a business, and how to bargain for better terms through collective action.