Cricket Uganda continued bridging sport, community empowerment, and sustainable enterprise as Regional Development Officers Baraka Turyamwesiimira and Ssempijja Lawrence undertook visits to the farms of Youth Platform Africa (YPA) in Lyantonde and Gomba, respectively. The officers inspected maize growing, goat rearing, and beekeeping operations run by YPA, a dynamic non-governmental organization specializing in agribusiness. The organization operates multiple farms across Uganda and wider Africa, with a core mission of combating poverty and ignorance through purposeful, profitable agricultural investment. During his visit to the Lyantonde farm, Ankole Hub Regional Development Officer Baraka Turyamwesiimira gained deep insights into how YPA collaborates with partners to foster financial growth and community development. “Visiting the YPA farm in Lyantonde opened my eyes to how agriculture can be structured to create real, predictable value for people. It is not just about farming the land; it is about working with a clear purpose and giving partners structured pathways to financial independence,” shared Turyamwesiimira. Following the Lyantonde tour, South Western Hub Regional Development Officer Coach Ssempijja Lawrence conducted an extensive follow-up visit to YPA’s major establishment in Maddu, Gomba. Described as one of the largest youth farms in the region, the Maddu facility boasts advanced infrastructure, including a dedicated water supply channel and dam system that services the entire farm. Coach Ssempijja inspected the dedicated goat-feeding facilities and reviewed the specific nutritional components used to maintain healthy livestock. His detailed report highlights the structured operational choices available to prospective partners, including free membership, project-specific subscriptions across goats, maize, the SACCO, and CDC goats, as well as Active and Passive investment packages. The argument doing the rounds among sports administrators is whether such agribusiness partnerships can truly scale to lift rural communities out of poverty, or if they remain niche experiments. YPA operates on a unique contract-based model designed to make agricultural investment accessible and rewarding, with maize partners investing Shs. 4,000,000 per acre and goat rearers contributing Shs. 800,000 for every mature goat under a three-year contract. At the end of the term, profits are tripled, significantly multiplying the investor’s portfolio, while the YPA SACCO grants loans to ease and expand agricultural ventures.
- Maize Growing: Partners invest Shs. 4,000,000 per acre; receive Shs. 1,300,000 per season across six consecutive seasons.
- Goat Rearing: Partners contribute Shs. 800,000 per mature goat and Shs. 400,000 per kid; profits tripled after three years.
- YPA SACCO: Internal savings and credit cooperative society granting loans to expand agricultural ventures.
- Membership: Free joining; project-specific subscriptions available across goats, maize, SACCO, and CDC goats at 100,000/= each.
- Packages: Active Package (buying goats and taking them to own farm) or Passive Package (leaving livestock under YPA management).
Source: Uganda Cricket
