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During the 2024 Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, Spiked Online Media caught up with Ainembazi Rodgers – a male Ugandan Entrepreneur, Youth Mentor, and Agribusiness Practioner, a business incubator at expert level 1 from African Agribusiness Incubators Network.
Rodgers holds a bachelor’s degree of science in planning and community development from Mbarara University of Science and Technology and takes pride in being a committed team player with excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
Rodgers said he is a flexible, adaptive, and quick learner.
He is a community development practitioner with 4 years of experience in the implementation of various business concepts and market-centered projects in refugee settlements where he promotes sustainable income growth and employable skills.
“I have wide expertise in implementing refugee-focused youth employment including; Business Development Services (BDS), and Financial Inclusion /Saving Groups while working with World Bank-funded projects and water sheds with the office of the prime minister under Africa Agribusiness Incubator network, Farm Africa, Delta Bees Ltd in Nakivale, Rwamwanja, Lamwo and other parts of Uganda,” he told Spiked Online Media.
Rodgers inspires young people, especially women, to engage in agribusiness-related opportunities and provides hands-on/practical training in agribusiness-related practices.
He has a fascinating track record in the agribusiness field. From October to December 2021, he worked for Delta Bees Ltd in Mbarara.
In this company, he participated in the development of the National Apicultural Extension Manual coordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture and The National Apicultural Development Organization (TUNADO) that is currently used by all trainers of beekeeping in Uganda.
He built the capacity of beekeeper groups 1,032 TOTS in Central, Eastern, Western, and Northern Uganda to engage in beekeeping as a business through partnerships with Swisscontact, Oxfam, Kilimo Trust, Self-help Africa, World of Bees, Bees for Development, Trias and other private companies.
Rodgers participated in the provision of learning materials for each youth /woman/TOT in the targeted beekeeper groups across Uganda. He trained 630 local artisans and over 50 beekeepers to acquire financial services from various SACCOS to enable them to access and use improved beehives (KTB & Transition) in Nakaseke, Kyankwanzi, Nyoya, Kitugum, Nebbi, Kisoro, Namayumba, Rubirizi, Nyoya, Kiryandongo and Lamwo.
He also conducted review meetings with beekeepers’ group leadership (30 leaders & beekeepers’ representatives); as well as the training of youth and women in Lamwo district in the processing of other hive products – bee propolis production, packing, and marketing for 5 days.
From November 2021 to March 2022, he was a Filed Facilitator for FARM AFRICA Uganda. Here, he supported the implementation of the Income and Food Security Project through up to 1,440 beneficiaries and the progress of the production activities and enterprise value addition.
Rodgers provided support in the areas of leadership, financial management, business management, business plan development, marketing operations, governance, financial models, and linkages/access to financial institutions and services to 35 farmer groups
He facilitated business training for all 1,440 project beneficiaries, working directly with the public and private sectors, and building relationships with partners, and other stakeholders within and around the Rwamwanja settlement camp for the skilling of 2,000 beneficiaries in Agribusiness.
He was delivering and monitoring outreach activities to support MRM including awareness sessions, through different channels to promote the project and reach interested candidates.
From April 2022 to date, he has been the Project Facilitator of the African Development Bank-funded project, creating sustainable Refugee-led youth MSMEs through urban farming with the Agribusiness Incubator Network.
He is providing support to the field team in the development and implementation of strategies, standards, and project plans using tools and best practices.
“I have been taking the lead in identifying youth businesses and assessing areas of intervention to catalyze new value-added opportunities for gainful employment. I am also involved in the mobilisation of women, and youth refugees to participate in value chains/ enterprises that are commercially viable and supporting private-sector collaborations. I also provide hands-on training to project participants in strategic business planning, product development, and market penetration,” Rodgers told Spiked Online Media.