Rural smallholder farmers are often located in less accessible regions and constrained by a lack of agricultural knowledge and access to capital.

The Youth Initiative for Community Empowerment (YICE), an eco-inclusive enterprise in Western Uganda, provides rural smallholder farmers in Uganda with flexible farm loans, inputs and training services to reduce hunger and poverty. With its network of local farm agents, YICE facilitates farmers’ access to bundled agricultural services at various levels of the farming value chain. YICE wants to improve the livelihood of smallholder farmers by empowering local communities, especially youth and women. YICE partners give access to market information and flexible financial services via innovative mobile technology.

These measures have resulted in an increased productivity among smallholder farmers with up to 150% higher yields and 30% higher incomes than before.

Results:

- 56 jobs created

- 1087 households impacted

- 158 farmer groups trained

- 40 permaculture demo gardens established

Find a short video about the project here:

SEED supports enterprises such as YICE- social and environmental enterprises (‘eco-inclusive’) as they develop and commercialise technologies, products and services that help communities adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change. They improve the livelihood of vulnerable populations by incorporating them in their value chain as customers, suppliers, employees and buyers.

Only by integrating these enterprises in national and global discussions can we ensure equitable, inclusive and sustainable development of the global economy.

How do we encourage more of these enterprises? How do we mainstream the eco-inclusive way of doing business in our economies? Share your thoughts here!

Interested in more from SEED? Join Session 7 Enabling Change – to hear our Director Lewis Akenji speak about the role that small enterprises can take in protecting and restoring natural capital across the African continent.