Refugee Farmers in Uganda’s West Nile Reap Big from Climate-Smart Innovation

When Mary first arrived in Uganda from South Sudan in 2016, fleeing the war and violence, she never imagined that a portable solar water pump would become the cornerstone of her family’s path to self-reliance. Today, in the farmlands of Bidibidi Refugee Settlement in Uganda’s West Nile region, the 26-year-old mother of three tends to rows of thriving tomatoes that grow year-round, defying the harsh dry seasons that once left her community dependent on humanitarian aid.

Refugees in Uganda—which currently hosts 1.9 million displaced people—are engaging in block farming by pooling leased or contracted land from host-community landlords, along with shared resources. This collective approach boosts agricultural yields, strengthens food security and income, and fosters self-reliance and collaboration with host communities.

In 2018, Mary joined the Anika Farmers Group in Bidibidi, working alongside 29 other members. Initially, the group cultivated traditional crops, such as cowpeas, cassava, and sorghum, primarily for household consumption. The unpredictable climate and extended dry seasons made commercial farming challenging.

“Before, I used to buy tomatoes from the market, but now in the group we plant tomatoes. When you come to harvest, you can pick some and sell or take it home for eating,” Mary explains.

Mary’s experience reflects the success of WFP’s innovation approach in Uganda. Through the Ignite Food Systems Challenge, WFP provided grant funding to 12 private innovative Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with commercially viable solutions addressing food production, climate change, and nutrition gaps. These partnerships now serve over 328,000 farmers, representing a 120 per cent increase from 149,000 farmers in 2021.

One of the partnerships that has benefited the Anika Group is the collaboration between WFP, Omia Agribusiness, and Tulima Solar under the Solarizing Livelihoods Activities with Refugees (SOLAR) project, funded by Denmark and Norway. Iganachi Razaki Omia, the Chief Executive Officer of Omia, explains the company’s approach: “With support from WFP, we have reached 40 farmer groups in Yumbe District, including the Anika Farmers Group. This is a group that has been producing cassava for subsistence purposes. We enabled them to diversify into tomato production, and right now they are reaping.” 

Through the SOLAR project, Mary and the group received training in growing tomatoes, cabbage, and other vegetables. They gained access to portable solar water pumps for irrigation. The technology improved their farming operations during the dry spells.

“Irrigation has helped the tomatoes grow even when we planted in the dry season. Omia and Tulima also helped us with the solar system,” Mary says. “The solar system helped us a lot because in the settlement, the dry season lasts for almost two to three months with no rain. Because of the solar power, we have water during the dry season. It is easy to carry, and it helps us water many crops, not just tomatoes alone.”

A crucial element of the project’s success lies in market access. “One of the key roles Omia does is market linkages. We have a buyback clause where we produce with the farmers - we have Omia Foods, which comes direct to the field and buys these products from farmers,” Razaki explains, highlighting how the company ensures farmers have guaranteed buyers for their produce.

The results demonstrate the project’s impact. The Anika Farmers Group is earning over UGX 4 million (US$1,000) from their June harvests. During the SOLAR pilot phase, 589 farmers produced 40,000 kilograms of assorted crops in a single season, generating a total of UGX 86 million (approximately US$24,000) in earnings between December 2023 and May 2024.

For Mary’s family, the benefits extend beyond farming. “After harvesting the tomatoes, we take them to the market. After selling, some of the money we use for increasing our garden, to buy food for our families and some of the money is for paying our children’s school fees,” she explains.

The group maintains sustainability by using proceeds to purchase seeds, pesticides, tools, and protective gear at subsidised rates from Omia Agribusiness. They also rely on their hand-dug, paved pond for water during dry seasons or when rainfall proves insufficient.

The SOLAR project is expanding to reach 5,000 farmers across 250 groups, incorporating additional technologies like solar micro mills and solar dryers. This scaling demonstrates WFP’s commitment to transforming humanitarian assistance through private sector innovation. Mary’s success illustrates the potential for climate-smart innovation to foster self-reliance among refugee communities.