Zombo District Local Government will hold its first Agricultural Trade and Market Shows and Coffee Conference from November 11 to 13, 2026, at Kyambogo University Paidha Campus playground, aiming to promote agro-industrialisation, strengthen market linkages and increase household incomes. The event will run under the theme "Building Climate Resilient Agriculture for Sustainable Agro-Industrialisation and Market Linkages for Wealth Creation" and will showcase the district's agricultural potential across priority value chains including coffee, bananas, Irish potatoes, tea, cassava, honey, horticulture, aquaculture, dairy and small ruminants.
Zombo's farmers face mounting pressures from climate change, soil degradation, land fragmentation and low market prices that undermine productivity and household incomes. The district aims to use the event to help farmers transition from subsistence to commercial agriculture while positioning Zombo as a coffee production and agro-tourism destination in the West Nile sub-region. Dr Walter Kumakech, the District Production Officer, said the trade show would connect farmers directly with buyers, processors and investors. "This maiden Agricultural Trade and Market Show is strategic to showcase the untapped agricultural potential of Zombo District along the value-chains of our key priority commodities, and to create direct market linkages between our farmers and buyers, processors and investors far beyond West Nile," Kumakech said.
Arabica coffee will receive major focus at the conference. Kumakech said Zombo had set a target of increasing coffee production and exports to approximately 61 metric tonnes annually within the next five years. The district plans to pursue this target through the distribution of high-yielding seedlings, fertilisers and other agricultural inputs, alongside improved extension services to reduce post-harvest losses. Currently, Zombo has 36 agricultural extension workers serving more than 64,342 farming households, according to figures presented in the event brief, translating to approximately one extension worker for every 1,787 households.
The organisers intend to use the trade show as a practical learning platform, with demonstrations on soil conservation, climate-smart agriculture and proper handling of agricultural produce. The event will bring together farmer cooperatives, financial institutions, processors and buyers to explore opportunities for value addition, improved bargaining power and access to finance. Many smallholder farmers currently sell their produce individually, limiting their ability to negotiate better prices and establish reliable commercial relationships. Zombo's location along the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo also presents opportunities for cross-border trade through routes such as Goli and Padea.
Beyond agriculture, the district plans to showcase its cultural heritage and tourism attractions. District Tourism Officer Jovian Kayenparwoth said traditional dances and cultural foods from the Lendu, Kebu, Alur and Lugbara communities would feature at the event. "We shall have the Lendu, Lugbara, Alur and Kebu showcase not only their traditional dances but also the foods that tell a story about their culture," she said. Zombo District LCV Chairperson James Oruna Oyulu said the district leadership intended to make the trade show and coffee conference an annual event and provide for it in future budgets.
The Resident District Commissioner's office will continue to monitor funds under the Parish Development Model and Emyooga programmes to ensure they reached intended beneficiaries. For savers, borrowers and business owners in Zombo, the trade show represents a potential pathway to access finance, better prices for agricultural products and new market opportunities through improved formal linkages with buyers and processors.