Government Commits Support For ODOIYE and KWERI During High-Level AAIN-Led Engagement

Mbarara City, Uganda | 13 June 2026 | Text By Kadlah Nabakembo | Photos By ECHAI

African Agribusiness Incubators Network (AAIN), in partnership with Excel Hort Consult Agribusiness Incubator (EHCAI) and strategic partners, convened a high-level policy dialogue that culminated in landmark Government commitments to strengthen Uganda’s business incubation ecosystem for food security and nutrition, job creation, wealth creation and sustainable enterprise development.

The engagement, presided over by the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Henry Musasizi, brought together senior government officials, development partners, academia, financial institutions, local government leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators to explore how business incubation can accelerate Uganda’s socio-economic transformation through innovation, value addition and entrepreneurship. 

As the continental network championing agribusiness incubation, AAIN used the platform to demonstrate how strategic partnerships, innovation ecosystems and business incubation are translating national development priorities into sustainable enterprises, jobs and wealth creation across Uganda and Africa.

Government Commits Support for Strategic National Programmes

In one of the day’s most significant announcements, Hon. Musasizi pledged Government support for the Kigezi Water and Environmental Resources Business Initiative for Job, Employment and Wealth Creation (KWERI) Project, recognizing its contribution to environmental conservation, enterprise development and community livelihoods.

“As a Ministry, as a Government, let me state this clearly: we shall commit our full support and funding to the KWERI project.” 

The Minister further announced Government’s commitment to support the One District One Incubator for Youth Employment (ODOI) Programme, describing it as a practical model capable of creating jobs, wealth and improving livelihoods of the people of Uganda leveraging existing programs such as the Parish Development Model, GROW, among others.

The Government will commit full support and funding to the One District, One Incubator project. The ODOI project will be supported. It will be funded. And it will be rolled out across this country.

These commitments represent a major milestone in advancing business incubation as a national strategy for accelerating entrepreneurship, creating employment opportunities and strengthening Uganda’s private sector.

AAIN Showcases Business Incubation as a Driver of Economic Transformation

The engagement provided AAIN with an opportunity to showcase the transformative role of business incubation in supporting entrepreneurs from idea generation to enterprise growth through mentorship, skills development, technology transfer, market linkages and strategic partnerships.

During a guided tour of EHCAI’s incubation facilities, the Minister interacted with innovators and entrepreneurs while experiencing practical demonstrations of value addition, food processing, agribusiness technologies, fashion and design enterprises, ICT innovations and mentorship initiatives that are empowering young people to build sustainable businesses. The visit also featured the official launch of the EHCAI Incubator Hostel Facility, further strengthening the capacity of the incubation ecosystem to nurture entrepreneurs. 

Speaking during the engagement, Hon. Musasizi commended AAIN and EHCAI for aligning their programmes with Uganda’s National Development Plan IV, Uganda Vision 2040 and the NRM Manifesto, noting that their work directly contributes to agro-industrialisation, innovation, private sector development, youth employment and sustainable economic growth. 

What I have seen today is not theory. It is practice. It is results. It is scalable.

Building Strategic Partnerships for Inclusive Growth

Beyond the two flagship commitments, the Minister outlined additional areas of collaboration between Government and the business incubation ecosystem, including improving access to finance for incubated enterprises, developing a national incubation policy and accreditation framework, exploring tax incentives for incubation technologies, and strengthening market access through government procurement opportunities. 

He also challenged stakeholders to strengthen the linkage between the Parish Development Model (PDM) and business incubation, emphasizing the need to transform public investment into productive enterprises capable of creating jobs, increasing household incomes and driving local economic development. 

Reinforcing AAIN’s Vision for Africa’s Business Incubation Ecosystem

The event attracted 111 participants, including representatives from Government ministries, development partners, universities, incubators, accelerators, ESOs, financial institutions, local government and the private sector, demonstrating growing recognition of business incubation as a catalyst for enterprise development and innovation. 

For AAIN, the engagement reaffirmed its role as a leading convener of strategic partnerships that strengthen business incubation ecosystems across Uganda and the African continent. By bringing together policymakers, development partners, academia and the private sector, AAIN continues to advance collaborative solutions that empower entrepreneurs, stimulate innovation and contribute to sustainable economic transformation.

The Government of Uganda’s commitments to support both the KWERI Project and the One District One Incubator for Youth Employment Programme mark an important step towards expanding business incubation as a national development priority and creating greater opportunities for young entrepreneurs, women-led enterprises and agribusiness innovators across Uganda.

Concluding the engagement, AAIN Chief Executive Officer Prof. Alex Ariho reaffirmed the Network’s commitment to strengthening Africa’s business incubation ecosystem through innovation, strategic partnerships and sustainable financing mechanisms for entrepreneurs.

Business incubation does not end with training. Our entrepreneurs need access to affordable financing capital to transform ideas into sustainable enterprises. Through the African Agribusiness Incubation Fund (AAIF), AAIN is creating a financing platform that will enable young entrepreneurs to access affordable financing, scale their businesses, create jobs, and contribute meaningfully to Africa’s economic transformation, ~Prof. Ariho said.

He noted that the Government’s commitments announced during the engagement provide renewed momentum for strengthening Uganda’s innovation ecosystem and accelerating enterprise development through collaborative partnerships between government, the private sector, academia and development partners.