Invisible No More: The Women Behind UCCP’s Powerhouse

Contributor : Sara Lamsili, Jnr Project Communication Manager

Secure land rights for small-scale women farmers are recognized as critical for eradicating poverty, ending hunger, and achieving gender equality. As such, In agricultural households in Uganda, more female adults (88%) than male adults (78%) are primarily engaged in agriculture (Uganda Bureau of Statistics, 2020). Yet most women farmers still lack ownership and control over land. Only 16% of land in Uganda is registered under women’s names, underscoring the gap between legal provisions and reality (Tsao, 2024).

Within the project Uplifting Income and Climate Resilience in Biodiverse Ugandan Smallholder Coffee Systems (UCCP), carbon finance has created new opportunities by providing direct income to women-led farms, empowering them to reinvest in their families, communities, and the land they work so hard to sustain.

A member of our staff sat down with Ms. Loice Natuhwera, an accountant at the Ankole Coffee Producers Cooperative Union (ACPCU), to hear more about how women are driving this transformation. ACPCU farmers are beneficiaries of the UCCP project.

Could you tell me more about the role of women’s involvement in the UCCP project?

“Women’s involvement in the UCCP program is significant. Although our membership includes both men and women, I’d estimate about 50% participation among women.

Women actively take part in tree planting and the coffee business. They bring their coffee to the society, sell it, earn profits, and use that income to sustain their households. Many also engage in voluntary activities like planting trees.

Coffee is the main source of income, and it allows them to support their families, especially with school fees. The society also extends credit to women in the form of loans to support their households. In addition, women contribute to school infrastructure, such as constructing classrooms and toilet facilities where their children study.”

The idea behind this article is to highlight the powerful role women play in the UCCP project. As you know, in Sub-Saharan Africa, women do much of the labor, but very few have access to land or decision-making. They deserve more credit.

“Yes, of course. When it comes to land ownership, especially in Uganda, access is still very limited for women. Most men are considered more responsible for asset management, particularly land, so women usually have very little control or ownership. Most access land falls only under the authority of men, typically their husbands.

Leadership is also an issue. Women are still not actively involved in decision-making roles. Their participation tends to be minimal. For instance, in a committee of 10 men, there may be just one or two women representatives.

The women behind Uganda’s coffee and carbon revolution are not just participants, they are catalysts for change. Yet their efforts remain under acknowledged in a system that too often sidelines them from decision-making and land ownership.

Recognizing and supporting women’s contributions isn’t a matter of charity, it’s a matter of justice, and of unlocking untapped potential. When women farmers have access to land, finance, and leadership opportunities, entire communities benefit as children stay in school, household incomes rise, trees get planted, and food systems become more resilient.’’

How APNI is Supporting Women Farmers in Uganda

The African Plant Nutrition Institute (APNI) plays a key role in amplifying the impact of initiatives like the UCCP, with a strong focus on ensuring women farmers are not left behind. Recognizing that agricultural transformation must be inclusive to be sustainable, APNI works with local partners to integrate gender-sensitive approaches across its soil health and plant nutrition programs.

In Uganda, APNI’s support goes beyond technical training; it prioritizes access, equity, and long-term empowerment. Through collaboration with local cooperatives and community groups, APNI ensures that women farmers are actively engaged in:

• Training on integrated soil fertility management
• Climate-smart agriculture practices
• Sustainable nutrient use for key crops like coffee and maize

By encouraging the participation of women in cooperative leadership, promoting women-led demonstration plots, and supporting access to resources, APNI is helping break structural barriers that have long held women back.

As women gain more access to knowledge, land, and decision-making, they become powerful stewards of both their farms and their futures and APNI is committed to walking that journey with them.

References

Tsao, W.-S. (2024, September 30). Women’s land rights in Uganda. International Land Coalition. https://www.landcoalition.org/en/latest/womens-land-rights-in-uganda/

UBOS (2020) Annual agriculture survey (2018). Kampala: UBOS.