Greater Nebbi Elders Call for Benchmarking Of Polla Mixed Farm to Transform Agriculture

Greater Nebbi Elders Call for Benchmarking Of Polla Mixed Farm to Transform Agriculture

By Mike Rwothomio 

Nestled across more than 380 acres in Kalwang Parish, Nebbi Sub-county, Nebbi District, Polla Mixed Farm Limited stands as a thriving agribusiness enterprise that demonstrates the transformative power of diversified, commercial farming in a region once dominated by subsistence practices and challenging climatic conditions.

Established in 2008 , with operations scaling significantly from around 2011 on a modest initial plot of approximately four acres in a historically bushy and rural area, the farm has expanded into a model of integrated crop-livestock-aquaculture production. 

It features economically viable enterprises including coffee plantations with varieties such as Arabica, Masalesa, teak and eucalyptus woodlots, pine trees, banana plantations, mango orchards, watermelon fields, horticultural gardens (pumpkin, cabbage, tomatoes), nursery beds for seedlings (coffee, macadamia), piggery, goat rearing, apiary (beekeeping), and eight well-stocked fish ponds cultivating species like tilapia, catfish, and Miraca (currently on trial).

 The farm also promotes non-producing fish species in some ponds for ecological and economic value.

Elders' Familiarization and Exposure Visit

On Tuesday, 6th March 2026, elders from the Greater Nebbi Elders Council , comprising prominent figures from Zombo, Nebbi, and Pakwach districts , conducted a familiarization and exposure visit to the expansive farm. 

The delegation, which included members of the business community, first converged at Leosim Motel in Nebbi Municipality on Monday morning before proceeding on the short approximately 4-kilometre journey to the site.

The group was welcomed by Managing Director Grace Kermundu Awac, who guided them through the operations. They toured the eight well-stocked fish ponds and the adjacent horticulture garden under preparation for large-scale production, along with nursery beds.

“We have eight fish ponds here stocked with varieties, like tilapia, Miraca which is on trial,” Awac told the elders.

 She added, “in some ponds, we are promoting non producing which is valuable,” and noted: “here we are also promoting horticulture on large scale for increased production and besides, this nursery beds has varieties like coffee seedlings, macademia.”

Awac emphasized the farm’s potential: “this can become a center to support other small scale farmers ” while stressing the need for continuous promotion of markets for smallholder agricultural products. 

She highlighted that the farm is actively adding more enterprises to suit diverse preferences.

Many elders posed questions about the fish ponds, nursery beds, and horticulture operations, receiving elaborate and satisfactory responses.

 Several expressed confidence that the visit would expand their knowledge, enabling them to extend insights to their communities.

Elders' Reactions and Calls for Emulation

Canon Kura Vasco, Chairperson of the Greater Nebbi Elders Council, expressed profound gratitude: “we are proud to be here as elders to learn, unlearn and relearn, this is not Kampala or central or Western Uganda farms, this is from our own.”

 He called on others to emulate the example to drive the transformation the sub-region deserves.

Emilio Odongo, associate elder, president of the Forum for Development of Greater Nebbi and head of the secretariat, speaking at the coffee plantation, stressed the “need for changing of Narrative in our mother land,” noting that the initiative aligns with President Museveni’s vision of improving livelihoods through commercial farming.

Similarly, John Pascal Wapokrwa, council elder and Alur Kingdom Minister of Lands, described the initiative as “life changing” and urged the greater Nebbi community to visit and orient themselves with the knowledge offered by the farm’s diverse enterprises.

Polla Mixed Farm Executive Director Gilbert Kermundu acknowledged the strong support from the Kalwang chiefdom and community leaders: “our chiefdom of Kalwang including community leaders gave us a maximum support here and are continuing to offer us the necessary support, we appreaciate them for this innitiative.” 

He called for greater integration of women into leadership structures to transform mindsets.

Kura Vasco added: “we can do much better if we have more of the kermundus and Oyomas here in our land, we came here such that our people can copy.”

Godfred Onencan, LCI Chairperson of Udhurire village, called the investment “a light in our community,” citing its role in distributing seedlings and farm products, promoting modern farming practices, and improving lives.

Meanwhile Tabu Frank Ocwala, Nebbi Sub-county district councilor elect and council speaker, testified to tangible changes: “this place used to be drier, rain used to stop in November, we could plant only cotton, but now due to fish ponds and more trees planted here, we experience rain at any time.”

 He noted increased large-scale cultivation of maize, rice, beans, and coffee, alongside shifts in employment, lifestyle, and mindset in the community.

Local leaders reported improved food security, reduced youth idleness and theft incidents in Kalwang Parish which has 13 villages and higher population than neighboring parishes like Omyer, Koch Upper, and Koch Lower, as many youths now engage in productive farm activities or labor.

Background of Polla Mixed Farm

According to local leaders, historically, inhabitants of the Kalwang area relied primarily on cotton due to the harsh, dry, and unsupportive climate. They say establishment of Polla Mixed Farm has contributed to micro-climate improvement through extensive tree planting (teak, eucalyptus, pine), leading to more reliable rainfall patterns that support diversified cropping, including beans, groundnuts, maize, soya beans, and rice.

Tabu Frank Ocwala, Nebbi Sub-county said " The farm has grown into a beacon of hope, providing employment opportunities, pride for the agrarian community, and social corporate responsibility initiatives for neighboring villages".

Apparently , the farm serves as a learning hub where many visit for benchmarking, and some youths have been educated to become agricultural officers.

In April 2023, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni visited the farm and was greatly impressed, hailing it as a practical example of his advocacy for commercial agriculture over subsistence farming to create wealth and improve livelihoods.

The farm complements other local investments like Oyoma General Stores in Parombo Town Council, offering additional youth employment opportunities in greater Nebbi Subregion. 

Albert Aromborach Ocwala, the chief of Kalwang chiefdom noted personal benefits: “I have planted six acres of coffee thanks to support from this farm,” and highlighted the farm’s direct impact on reducing unemployment.

The Visits acquainted elders and leaders with practical exposure to integrated mixed farming systems, diversified enterprises, and commercial-scale operations, enabling them to “learn, unlearn and relearn” and promote modern practices in their communities.

According to March 2026 data from the Uganda National Bureau of Statistics, Zombo and Nebbi districts in the West Nile sub-region face significant challenges, with West Nile ranked as the second poorest sub-region in Uganda after Karamoja, where roughly 39% of the population experiences multi-dimensional poverty.

The Greater Nebbi Elders Council urged the community not to relent but to emulate, learn, and copy from investments like Polla Mixed Farm to scale down unemployment and poverty while fostering sustainable agricultural development in the sub-region.