"I Never Imagined I’d Farm Across Borders" says Agaba Joseph,  a father of three, an IT graduate turned agricultural entrepreneur, and one of Uganda’s rising rural changemakers.

Born and raised in Kagarama village, Kabingo Subcounty in Isingiro District, Joseph’s journey has been shaped by hardship and resilience. He lost his father at the age of 11 and was raised by his uncle. After earning a Diploma in Information Technology from Makerere University in 2011, He moved to Kampala in search of better opportunities, but like many graduates faced unemployment. Eventually, Joseph returned home and took up teaching at Kabingo Seed Secondary School, earning UGX 200,000 (about USD 56) per month. To supplement his income, he returned to farming using the same traditional methods his parents had relied on, hand digging, seed broadcasting, and waiting for the rains to come. The yields were low, and progress was slow.

Then came a turning point in 2018. During a community meeting, he was invited by the Subcounty Agricultural Officer to attend a training organized by SAA. The session introduced him to sustainable farming practices: minimum tillage, crop rotation, organic manure, and market-oriented farming. With guidance from SAA, Joseph applied what he learned. The impact was immediate. In 2021, he won the Youth Business Clinic Award and used the cash prize to buy a heifer. Today, he owns five cows and uses their manure to enrich his soil — a practice that has significantly improved his farm productivity.

Joseph poses with a goat he recently acquired, one of the investments made possible through his growing income as a CCBF.

His agricultural journey took a major leap in 2024 when Joseph was selected to become a Commercial Community-Based Facilitator (CCBF) through SAA’s program supported by the Nippon Foundation. As part of the training, he received a starter kit comprising two jab planters and two sprayers. Equipped with these tools and technical support from SAA, Joseph started offering mechanized services to other farmers, planting, spraying, and providing extension support.

He started locally, planting 13 acres in his community and earned over USD 200 from planting services alone. Encouraged by the success, he marketed his services through WhatsApp and Facebook, a move that landed him a cross-order contract in Tanzania to plant 35 acres. The client covered transportation, meals, and accommodation, and Joseph walked away with USD 769,  and hired two local youth who earned while learning. “That’s when I realized: I’m a cross-border agri-service entrepreneur,” he reflects.

Today, Joseph continues to save USD 1.37 per acre through MobiPay with plans to upgrade to motorized jab planters and advanced sprayers. His increased earnings have transformed his family’s life, two of his children now attend  boarding school and he has expanded his livestock and crop production to include vegetables, coffee, Irish potatoes, fruit trees, and bananas, all thriving supported by improved soil fertility and planning.

Joseph’s impact goes beyond his household; he also supports a network of over 500 farmers, helping them with garden preparation, access to quality seeds and fertilizers, and practical guidance. Thanks to the increased demand, agro-dealers are now supplying inputs directly to villages.

Joseph stands in his thriving intercropped garden.

Despite ongoing challenges, including delayed client payments and limited staff, Joseph remains optimistic. One of his biggest hurdles is changing the perception of farming among youth. “Many young people still view farming as “dirty” or backward. But I tell them: farming is changing, and we must change with it.” he says.

His dream is clear: to build a regional agricultural agribusiness that provides affordable, high-quality planting and agro-input services across East Africa. With continued support from SAA and partners, Joseph believes the dream is already in motion.

“Mechanization has transformed my life. If it worked for me, it can work for thousands of other young farmers too.”