UNYFA

What UNYFA does

The Young Farmers' Federation of Uganda (UNYFA) is a non-profit, member-based federation founded in 2016 and officially launched in June 2017, registered under Section 18(3) of Uganda's Companies Act 2012. It is the umbrella organization for young farmers in Uganda, uniting over 41,000 individual farmers (15,990 female and 25,010 male) aged 12–39 through 54+ registered district associations, youth agro-based initiatives, and school agricultural clubs across six regions: West Nile, Northern, Far-East, Eastern, Central, and Western. The organization is headquartered in Kampala and led by CEO/National Coordinator Denis Kabiito, with a secretariat of 6–9 staff.

UNYFA's core products and services are primarily program- and partnership-driven rather than technology-driven. The flagship offering is the International Young Farmers Exchange Program (IYFEP), a bilateral exchange with Germany (DBV/Schorlemer Foundation, funded by BMZ) that has placed 93 Ugandans and 43 German interns on farms since 2017. Other major programs include the Enhancing the Capacity of Young Women in Agribusiness (ECAWA) project with dlv (targeting 400 rural female youth), the Farm Succession/Generation Next project with Andreas Hermes Academia, the DGD program (2022–2026) with TRIAS targeting 1,000 young agripreneurs, the Seedloans women empowerment program, and the Youth Inspiring Youth in Agriculture (YIYA) initiative with FAO and MAAIF. Its only notable proprietary technology asset is the Farmer Organization Video Library (FOVL), a digital platform hosting over 4,500 agricultural videos translated into Luganda, Swahili, and French.

Revenue generation is secondary to grant funding. Direct member-facing fees are nominal: a one-time UGX 50,000 registration fee plus UGX 100,000 annual subscription per individual member, a 250,000 UGX IYFEP application fee, and a 50,000 UGX farm succession commitment fee. The dominant revenue model is multi-year donor grants from international partners (DBV, dlv, AHA, TRIAS, WFO, FAO) and the Government of Uganda via MAAIF. Distribution is community-led through district associations and complemented by events including the National Youth in Agribusiness Symposium, bi-annual Agribusiness Tours, and the Annual General Meeting.

Name

UNYFA

Legal name

Young Farmers' Federation of Uganda

Website

https://unyfa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

UNYFA is a Ugandan non-profit federation founded in 2016 that unites over 41,000 young farmers aged 12–39 through 54+ district associations across six regions, delivering international exchange, training, and women-in-agribusiness programs funded primarily by German and multilateral donors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Development Services

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

International Development & Donor-Funded Education Programs (EDADALAB)

Keywords

• Youth agricultural development
• Farmer federation services
• Agricultural capacity building
• Farmer exchange programs
• Rural youth empowerment

Headquarters

HQ city

Kampala

HQ country

Uganda

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: One-time registration fee of UGX 50,000 plus annual subscription of UGX 100,000 for individual members joining the federation.
2. Program Application Fees: Application fees for international exchange programs such as IYFEP, charging 250,000 UGX per application.
3. Training Program Fees: Farm succession program charges 50,000 UGX non-refundable commitment fees for participation in the 12-month training program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

UNYFA is Uganda's umbrella federation for young farmers aged 12-39, delivering capacity-building programs including the International Young Farmers' Exchange Program (IYFEP) with Germany, the Farmer Organization Video Library (FOVL) digital learning platform, the Farm Succession Program for intergenerational farm transfer, the ECAWA women-in-agribusiness project, the Seedloans input-credit program, and the annual National Youth in Agribusiness Symposium. The federation unites 54+ associations across six regions, representing 41,000+ individual young farmers, with revenue from membership fees, program application fees, and donor-funded grants.

Product overview

UNYFA operates as an umbrella organization for young farmers in Uganda, offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and services. The core offerings include the International Young Farmers' Exchange Program (IYFEP) for cross-border agricultural training with Germany, the Farmer Organization Video Library (FOVL) digital platform for agricultural knowledge dissemination, the Seedloans Women Empowerment Program providing agricultural inputs as loans, and the Farm Succession Program for intergenerational farm transfer. Additional services include capacity building trainings (CET, BAT, FACT, ERI), advocacy initiatives, market linkages, and the annual National Youth in Agribusiness Symposium. The organization reaches young farmers aged 12-39 years across six regions through 72-member associations totaling over 41,000 individual members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Farmer Organization Video Library (FOVL) A digital platform offering farmers easy access to agricultural information through over 4,500 videos covering various stages of agricultural value chains, available in Luganda, Swahili, and French. Targeted at member farmers and the broader Ugandan farming community seeking e-extension services.
• International Young Farmers' Exchange Program (IYFEP) A bilateral exchange program between Uganda and Germany promoting education, training, and exposure among young farmers through hands-on farm experience and cultural integration, with all-expenses-paid stays supported by BMZ. Targets individual young farmer members aged 18-39 across UNYFA's network.
• Farm Succession Program A 12-month program for farming families ensuring smooth transfer of farms to new generations through residential workshops, coaching, mentorship sessions, and a site-specific training manual. Charges a 50,000 UGX non-refundable commitment fee and targets farming families navigating intergenerational transfer.
• Enhancing the Capacity of Young Women in Agribusiness (ECAWA) A 28-month project jointly implemented with dlv targeting 400 rural female youth aged 12-39 through training, capacity building, leadership development, and international study tours. Targeted at marginalized rural female youth including school drop-outs and those in early marriages.
• Seedloans Women Empowerment Program A Ugandan-German social impact project providing high-quality bean seeds and fertilizers as loans to female subsistence farmers, with repayment collected in harvested beans after the growing season. Targets female subsistence farmers across UNYFA's network.
• National Youth in Agribusiness Symposium An annual national platform for young farmers to amplify their voices towards farmer-led agro-industrialization, featuring debates, quizzes, and exhibitions showcasing agricultural technologies and innovations. Targeted at young farmers, agripreneurs, and agricultural stakeholders across Uganda.
• Individual Membership (Federation Subscription) Individual membership in the UNYFA federation with a one-time 50,000 UGX registration fee and a 100,000 UGX annual subscription, providing access to association benefits, programs, capacity building, and federation services. Targeted at individual young farmers aged 12-39 across Uganda.
• SEED Magazine and Newsletter SEED Magazine (bi-annual) and SEED Newsletter (quarterly) publications serving as communication channels for agricultural information and updates to UNYFA members and stakeholders. Distributed to federation members and partner organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93 Ugandans directly impacted by IYFEP program
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• TRIAScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022DGD program - a 5-year project (2022-2026) aimed at empowering and supporting 1000 young Agripreneurs within their agribusiness enterprises and fostering competitiveness through lobby and advocacy. Project areas cover Central, West Nile, and Rwenzori regions.
• German Association of Rural Women (dlv)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Joint implementation of ECAWA (Enhancing the Capacity of Young Women in Agribusiness) - a 28-month project targeting 400 rural female youth. Also partners on international exchange programs for Ugandan rural women focusing on advocacy, association development, and leadership.
• Andreas Hermes Academia (AHA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnership for Farm Succession/Generation Next project, developing site-specific training manuals for farming families on succession planning. UNYFA offers consultation services based on the developed guidelines.
• SeedloansminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Ugandan-German Social Impact Project providing seed loans to female farmers. UNYFA signed MOU in February 2021 to support female farmers in accessing high-quality seeds and fertilizers through a loan model where farmers payback with seeds after harvesting.
• Schorlemer Foundation (German Farmers' Association DBV)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership for International Young Farmers Exchange Program (IYFEP), enabling Ugandan young farmers to do 3-month apprenticeships on German farms and German interns to experience Ugandan agriculture. Program includes all-expenses-paid stays supported by BMZ. Over 93 Ugandans and 43 Germans have participated since 2017.
• World Farmers' Organization (WFO)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Participation in WFO Gymnasium - a 30-month high-level capacity building program training young farmers to become future leaders in agriculture. UNYFA CEO Denis Kabiito graduated from inaugural program (2017-2020).
• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership through National Strategy for Youth Employment in Agriculture (NSYEA) and Youth Inspiring Youth in Agriculture (YIYA) initiative. FAO supports MAAIF in selecting and awarding National Youth Champions to promote youth employment in agriculture.
• Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Government partner for agricultural development programs including YIYA initiative, National Youth Strategy implementation, and policy advocacy for youth engagement in agriculture.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• European Council of Young Farmers (CEJA): CEJA is the EU-level umbrella of national young farmers' organizations, directly analogous to UNYFA's federation model and youth-in-agriculture mandate. Highly comparable on governance structure, advocacy, and international exchange priorities.
• Uganda National Farmers Federation (UNFFE): UNFFE is the umbrella national farmers' federation of Uganda under which UNYFA operates as the youth organization. Directly comparable as a membership-based national farmers' federation serving Ugandan producers.
• Bund der Deutschen Landjugend (BDL): BDL is the German Rural Youth Association and a known partner of UNYFA through the IYFEP programme. Directly comparable mission of mobilizing rural youth for agriculture, with similar emphasis on training, exchange, and advocacy.
• Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD): YPARD is a global network of young professionals in agriculture with a mandate nearly identical to UNYFA's youth-empowerment-in-agriculture focus. Closely comparable as a federation-style platform for the next generation of agricultural leaders.

Broad incumbents

• Heifer International: Heifer International is a major global NGO supporting smallholder farmers through livestock and livelihoods programmes. Comparable as a donor-funded NGO working with rural smallholders in Uganda and similar geographies, though at much larger scale.
• Farm Africa: Farm Africa is a UK-based NGO focused on sustainable agriculture, market access, and climate-resilient farming in East Africa. Comparable donor-funded NGO model and overlapping East African geographic and smallholder farmer focus.
• One Acre Fund: One Acre Fund is a large social enterprise serving smallholder farmers in Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, and beyond. Comparable in target beneficiary (rural smallholders) and country footprint, though focused on input finance and extension rather than youth mobilization.
• Self Help Africa: Self Help Africa is an international NGO implementing agriculture, livelihoods, and enterprise programmes in Uganda and other African countries. Comparable donor-funded NGO model serving smallholder farmers in similar value chains.
• 4-H: 4-H is a large, established global youth-in-agriculture organization with a comparably youth-focused development mission, but operates at much greater scale and breadth than UNYFA. Closest large-scale analogue for youth ag programming and digital extension.

Regional players

• Kenya National Farmers Federation (KENAFF): KENAFF is the Kenyan equivalent of UNFFE, providing a directly comparable national farmer federation structure in a neighbouring East African country. Useful regional benchmark for federation governance and member services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@unyfa
• Facebookfacebook.com/UNYFA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/unyfa
• Instagraminstagram.com/unyfa1
• Xx.com/unyfa1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UNYFA