Agrofresh UG workshop pushes Uganda exporters toward premium markets

Agrofresh UG brought farmers, cooperatives and exporters together in Kampala on August 24, 2026, to show how traceability, certification and value addition can help Uganda sell into higher-paying international markets. The workshop centered on compliance with standards such as EUDR and GlobalG.A.P. and on using digital records to turn exports into direct, verifiable trade.

Why it matters: - Uganda’s export growth depends increasingly on proving origin, compliance and certification, not just on producing crops. - Farmers and SMEs that can document their supply chains can access buyers in premium markets and move beyond low-margin spot sales. - Value addition can help reduce post-harvest waste and turn raw produce into higher-value exports such as purées, concentrates and botanical extracts.

What happened: - Agrofresh UG hosted a traceability and compliance workshop in Kampala on August 24, 2026. - The event brought together farmers, cooperatives and exporters. - The workshop was organized by Agrofresh UG and sponsored by Ubuntu Capital. - The session explained how compliance and value addition can open access to international markets that pay more. - The workshop covered standards and rules including the European Union Deforestation Regulation, organic requirements and ethical-sourcing rules. - Participants focused on coffee, cocoa, fresh fruit, sesame and vanilla.

The details: - Agrofresh UG is a traceability and export platform backed by Ubuntu Capital. - The platform links farmer, plot, purchase, batch, lot, consignment and shipment into a single chain of evidence. - Agrofresh UG says the system builds compliance into daily operations instead of reconstructing records after the season. - The platform also provides digital contracts and warehouse receipts. - Agrofresh UG says exporters can use trading records to access finance. - The platform includes a live feed of verified international demand. - Sammuel Kitone said Ugandan produce rarely reaches European supermarket shelves because of traceability and certification barriers, not crop quality. - Kitone said Uganda has untapped potential in medicinal plants such as aloe vera and artemisia. - Kitone said mangoes and pineapples are often wasted and could be processed into concentrates and purées for export. - Kitone said Ubuntu Capital’s investment and partnership with Agrofresh UG are meant to build sustainable, predictable and high-value export earnings for farmers. - Kitone also said the model is designed to help Ugandan SMEs sign contracts directly with international buyers, including processors, importers and medical manufacturers. - The partners are backing fruit purées, concentrates, botanical extracts and medicinal plants as higher-value export categories. - Ubuntu Capital and Agrofresh UG say they have already mobilized international buyers and brought verified demand to the platform before asking farmers to supply it. - Musinguzi Laban said Ubuntu Capital’s partnership has helped Agrofresh UG build the platform Ugandan exporters need. - Laban said compliance recordkeeping becomes a by-product of doing business well when it is created during the work itself.

Between the lines: - The workshop signals a shift from treating Ugandan agriculture as a raw commodity business to treating it as a traceable, financeable export system. - The emphasis on verified demand suggests the platform is trying to reduce the risk farmers face when investing in compliance and value addition. - Direct contracts with foreign buyers could give SMEs more leverage and potentially better margins than intermediary-led trade.

What’s next: - Agrofresh UG said it plans more workshops for farmers and exporters. - Ubuntu Capital is expected to continue investing in the infrastructure that connects Ugandan producers to premium global markets. - The platform will likely keep expanding its buyer network and compliance-driven export model.

The bottom line: - Agrofresh UG is betting that traceability, certification and value addition can turn Uganda’s farm output into more profitable exports.