Former investment chief takes on agriculture to create jobs, strengthen food security in Uganda

Dr Maggie Kigozi, former executive director of the Uganda Investment Authority, has turned her attention to agriculture, leading Zuri Model Farm with the aim of creating local jobs while strengthening food security in Uganda. Footage taken on Thursday, June 25, shows Kigozi inspecting coffee plantations at the farm in Wakiso District, around 38 kilometres south of Kampala, as workers plough fields and process coffee beans for drying. Farm managers are also seen checking banana crops. Drawing on her experience leading the Uganda Investment Authority, Dr Kigozi said she believes the skills she developed in business and investment have prepared her well for farming, particularly coffee production. "We attracted a lot of farmers, Germans, Swedish who had invested in coffee, plus so many Ugandans ...when I decided- I retired and I decided to come farming, coffee was top of my mind as a good investment opportunity. So we have this land and we have planted 45 acres of coffee," she said. Alongside coffee, the farm grows plantains, maize, mangoes and beans, providing produce for local communities while creating employment opportunities. One farm manager said working at Zuri Model Farm had inspired them to pursue farming independently. "I've learned a lot from doctor, Doctor Maggie. I can- I feel like I can do even the, myself, planting the matoke and then the coffee. I've been inspired a lot those are things that I mean that can give us money and, you know, there's a change in our livelihood," she pointed out. Established in 2003, Zuri Model Farm shifted its full focus to agriculture more than a decade ago, producing diverse crops, fruits and others on its sprawling 301-acre model farm. The venture promotes modern farming practices, supports local food security and creates employment through sustainable agricultural production.