dfcu Bank has re-branded its Agribusiness Development Centre (ADC) as the dfcu Foundation.
Launching the new entity in Mbarara on May 29, themed: A New Name, a Renewed Commitment.
The launch was held at the Rwenjeru Agro[1]tourism Demonstration and Training Farm, owned by Martin Kananura, a winner of the 2023 Best Farmer competition.
In an exclusive interview with Harvest Money’s Herbert Musoke, Mabel Kasente Ndawula, the executive director of dfcu Foundation, shared insights on the strategic rebrand’s potential impact on Uganda’s agricultural sector, small businesses, and rural communities.
Let’s start with the big picture: What is the core mission of the dfcu Foundation and how does it align with the bank’s overall purpose?
At dfcu Foundation, we empower farmers, women, youths, as well as medium and small-scale enterprises across Uganda to thrive through inclusive and practical programmes that drive social, economic and environmental impact.
As the social arm of dfcu Bank, we complement its mission of building a better Uganda by delivering capacity building, business acceleration, as well as financial and market linkages. Our goal is to transform the lives of 100,000 individuals in the next five years.
dfcu Foundation has invested in key sectors, such as agriculture and entrepreneurship. Which are some of the most impactful programmes thus far?
Since its inception in 2017, we have trained over 1,281 enterprises and over 61,000 individuals (smallholder farmers). The foundation has opened more than 5,233 bank accounts (for small and medium scale enterprises and individuals) and facilitated loan linkages worth $57m (sh137.8b).
Some of the most impactful programmes include:
Business development services (2017-2024)
This has strengthened savings and cooperative credit organisations (SACCOS), village savings and loans associations and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) through training in governance, financial literacy, environment social and governance issues, gender diversity and climate-smart agriculture — targeting key value chains, such as coffee, cocoa and grains for example maize, oil seeds, dairy and horticulture.
Business acceleration programme (2022-2024):
This has empowered MSMEs with financial management skills and agribusiness value chain support to scale sustainably.
Hi-innovator programme
It has supported youth-led SMEs with business tools and access to seed funding, successfully linking seven businesses to a total of $140,000 in financing from NSSF.
Climate smart agriculture programme
It has promoted climate-resilient practices across multiple value chains, establishing 32 demonstration farms. Results included a 50% increase in coffee yields (from 1kg to 2kg per tree), dairy yield growth (from three litres to six per cow, per day), which drastically increased incomes.
Financial expansion for agribusiness transformation
An initiative embedded in the Foundation’s 2025- 2030 strategy, focused on scaling inclusive finance and enterprise growth in agriculture.
How does the foundation identify which communities, sectors, or individuals to support?
Our support is delivered through programmes with targeted objectives. We use a data-driven and stakeholder-informed approach. Our focus is on under-served groups – MSMEs, smallholder farmers, women and youths, especially in sectors with high potential for impact like agriculture and trade. We also align our interventions with national development priorities and the sustainable development goals to ensure relevance and scalability.
What barriers do women entrepreneurs face in Uganda? How does dfcu Foundation plan to break these barriers?
Many women struggle to access credit, lack business training, face socio-cultural restrictions and face other systemic biases. Thus, a substantial focus for dfcu Foundation is the women entrepreneurs. We are addressing these issues in several ways:
Targeted gender-inclusion in all our programmes:
Over 54% of our trained participants since 2017 have been women. From 2025 onwards, we have a 60% target for women out of the 100,000 beneficiaries we plan to support. Training programmes that focus on financial literacy, business development and technical assistance: These are aimed at empowering entrepreneurs, especially women, to access the right markets and financial solutions for sustainable growth.
For example, with the Investment Fund for Developing Countries to implement our Gender Action Plan to encourage women’s participation and inclusion, we are pursuing a gender equality seal to institutionalise inclusion in our DNA.
In partnership with dfcu Bank’s Women in Business initiative (which has supported over 30,000 women and now implements the World Bank-funded GROW programme), we are providing tailored financial solutions, networking opportunities and market platforms for entrepreneurs.
Youth unemployment is a persistent challenge in Uganda. How is the foundation supporting youth-led enterprises or innovation?
Uganda’s youthful population presents both a challenge and an opportunity. At dfcu Foundation, we are committed to turning youth potential into enterprise by ensuring that 40% of the targeted 100,000 beneficiaries are youths. Through our Business Acceleration Programme, digital platforms like SOMA and partnerships with vocational institutions and programmes like the Hi-innovator, we equip youths with business skills, mentorship and access to markets and finance. This is aimed at empowering them to become job creators in high-potential sectors like agri-processing and green businesses.
Agriculture is a lifeline for many Ugandans. How is the foundation supporting modern, sustainable and profitable agricultural practices?
We see agriculture as a viable and dignified enterprise and not as subsistence. To achieve this, we have different initiatives. The first is the FEAT programme, which equips farmers with essential skills in financial literacy, agronomy, governance, business formalisation and market analysis, empowering them to build profitable and resilient ventures.
Our accelerator programmes further support innovations that balance profitability with environmental sustainability. Tools like Bean Book enable coffee producers to negotiate better sales contracts with buyers. Recognising the urgent threat of climate change, we integrate training in crop economics and climate-smart techniques, while our TP3 programme embeds climate resilience across all our initiatives. We form partnerships to promote climate-smart solutions, such as biogas systems and soil conservation.
What kind of partnerships has dfcu Foundation formed to amplify its impact in rural areas?
Partnerships are at the heart of dfcu Foundation’s mission to drive rural enterprise transformation and financial inclusion. By collaborating with development agencies, government, tech innovators, financial institutions and grassroots organisations, the foundation scales training, expands digital tools like SOMA and BeanBook and enhances market access.
The key collaborations thus far are with partners like GIZ, aBi Development, and SNV for development support and capacity building. Other partners are Rabo Foundation for co-financing, technical support and financial inclusion, as well as Outbox Uganda to promote youth innovation and entrepreneurship.
Where do you see the Foundation heading in the next three to five years?
As Uganda’s development landscape evolves — shaped by digital innovation, climate change and a dynamic youth population — dfcu Foundation is positioning itself as a strategic driver of inclusive growth. Over the next three to five years, we will scale tech-enabled solutions, expand our business acceleration model, leveraging community-based trainers for scale and deepen community engagement.
By 2030, our goal is to create over 3,500 direct jobs, impact 100,000 individuals directly and 500,000 indirectly, as well as generate sh100b in financial linkages, and plant 500,000 trees to support environmental sustainability. Aligned with national priorities and guided by data, we are committed to building resilient and empowered communities across Uganda.
How can the public or potential partners engage with the work of dfcu Foundation?
There are many ways the public and potential partners can engage with dfcu Foundation. We welcome collaboration with development agencies, private sector actors and community organisations to co-create impactful programmes in financial inclusion, youth entrepreneurship, sustainability and digital innovation.
Sustainable programmes
How does the foundation ensure that its programmes are sustainable?
At dfcu Foundation, sustainability is embedded in every stage of our programme design and delivery. We ensure long-term impact by empowering beneficiaries with practical skills rather than just providing resources, helping them become self-reliant.
Our approach includes building strong financial linkages to make enterprises bankable and capable of sustained growth. We work closely with local institutions to foster community ownership and embed change within existing structures.
Through our Train-the-Trainer model and capacity-building initiatives, we strengthen local leadership and ensure continuity. Additionally, we implement robust monitoring, evaluation and learning systems to track outcomes and continuously adapt our programmes for great effectiveness.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: State Minister for Animal Industry Col. Bright Rwamirama launching dfcu Foundation at Rwenjeru argo-tourism and training farm in Mbarara. (Courtesy photo)