CAFIP — Circular African Food Impact Programme

Where the Uganda Skills Hub focuses on developing people, CAFIP focuses on creating employment through local production, value addition and market-driven entrepreneurship.

The first challenge is the significant loss of locally produced fruit, vegetables and agricultural products that never reach a consumer because of limited processing capacity and weak value chains. The second is continued dependence on imported processed food despite abundant local raw materials.

By training local producers and young entrepreneurs to transform surplus agricultural products into shelf-stable, commercially viable food products, the programme creates new income while reducing food loss and strengthening local supply chains.

Initial production focuses on value-added products including tomato ketchup, mango ketchup, jams and fruit chutneys developed for the Ugandan hospitality sector and local retail market. Hospitality provides the first commercial market — hotels, lodges and restaurants — before expansion into wholesalers, supermarkets and local retailers.

Every production site also functions as a practical learning environment, with vocational training in food production, food safety, quality management, packaging, branding, business operations and entrepreneurship. Training is supported by the nOmy Learning Management System, so every participant builds a documented competency profile with recognised digital certification.

Just as importantly, every production facility becomes a workplace where new skills turn immediately into practical experience and employment.

Participants first complete competency-based vocational training before progressing into supervised production. Products are manufactured from locally sourced ingredients using internationally recognised food safety procedures before entering the hospitality market through commercial partners.

Throughout, learning, competencies and workplace experience are documented in the Learning Management System and linked to an individual Digital Skills Passport — a measurable pathway from Unskilled to Skilled to Certified to Employed to Entrepreneur.