Hundreds attend inaugural TotalEnergies Agri-Business Forum in Buliisa
“Our service provider can only purchase a limited quantity, but we’re actively seeking markets outside the oil and gas sector,” he said.
Buliisa: Hundreds of farmers and development partners gathered on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at the Buliisa District Headquarters for the first-ever TotalEnergies EP Uganda Agri-Business Forum, aimed at strengthening agricultural value chains and connecting farmers to better market opportunities.
The event, held under the theme “Empowering Farmers and Enabling Linkages: An Agriculture Value Chain Networking Forum,” brought together stakeholders from oil-hosting districts including Hoima, Nwoya, Pakwach, Masindi, and Kikuube.
Peninah Ahebwa, Director of Economics and Content Manager at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU), underscored the need to embrace commercial agriculture to sustain the region’s growing population driven by oil and gas activities. She cautioned locals against abandoning agriculture, warning that similar trends in oil-rich nations like Nigeria had adverse consequences.
“We must not repeat the mistakes seen elsewhere. Agriculture remains vital, and farmers must seize the opportunity to transform their livelihoods through better market access and information,” Ahebwa advised.
Fred Lukumu, the Buliisa District LCV Chairperson, called for the deployment of more agricultural extension workers and increased investment in farmer training and financial literacy. He emphasized that sustainable farming hinges on empowering farmers with the knowledge and tools to improve both quality and quantity of produce.
George Ochaya, a farmer from Nwoya, praised TotalEnergies Uganda and the Community Integrated Development Initiative (CIDI) for introducing modern agricultural techniques, noting how his family has benefited from bee farming and wine production. However, he lamented the ongoing struggle to find reliable markets for their products.
Emily Pachan, a Project Affected Person (PAP) from Kijumbya village in Buliisa, shared that some farmers are unable to sell their products to TotalEnergies due to failure to meet required quality standards.
Edema Derrick, a farmer from Buliisa, noted that oil companies initially encouraged local farmers to grow vegetables with the expectation of selling their produce to the companies.
“We were provided with vegetable seedlings and trained to supply oil companies, but now we have the produce and no market. We hoped this would improve our livelihoods, but that hasn’t happened,” he lamented.
Vicky Achan, an apiary farmer from Nwoya District, shared a similar experience. “Total empowered me with seven beehives, and I was optimistic about changing my life. But now, I’m stuck with honey and no market even outside the oil and gas industry,” she said.
Responding to these concerns, Godfrey Lukwago, Manager of Stakeholder Engagement at TotalEnergies Uganda, emphasized the company’s continued commitment to supporting farmers. He highlighted that over 3,900 households were trained in 2019 under the Tilenga Project’s Livelihood Restoration Program, significantly boosting agricultural production.
“The launch of the Agri-Business Forum today is a step forward in linking farmers with broader markets. While our internal service providers are limited in how much they can buy, we are actively working to open up market opportunities beyond the oil and gas sector,” Lukwago stated.
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