Mabel Kasente Ndawula (pictured), the Executive Director of dfcu Foundation, recently sat down with Business Focus to discuss the organization’s rebranding from the Agribusiness Development Centre (ADC) to dfcu Foundation, its expanded mission, and the roadmap ahead. In this exclusive interview, she highlights the Foundation’s key focus areas, milestones, and the principles guiding her leadership.
Q: The Agribusiness Development Centre recently rebranded to dfcu Foundation. What prompted this change?
A: The Agribusiness Development Centre (ADC) was established in 2017 with a clear mandate: to support agribusinesses in becoming sustainable and bankable. Over the years, we realized that while agriculture remains critical, Uganda’s entrepreneurial ecosystem requires broader intervention. Many small businesses in the trade and business sector, especially those led by women and youth, face similar challenges—access to finance, markets, and skills, among others. In November 2024, ADC was rebranded to dfcu Foundation to reflect our expanded scope. This aligns with dfcu Bank’s purpose of transforming lives and businesses across Uganda. dfcu Foundation is now positioned to drive inclusive growth by equipping not just agribusinesses, but also Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the trade and business sector with the tools they need to thrive.
Q: What are the key focus areas for dfcu Foundation?
A: We focus on three key areas. Enterprise Development is one of our top priorities. Here, we build the capacity of MSMEs, smallholder farmers, and agribusinesses through training, mentorship, and technical assistance. Skills like financial literacy, governance, and sustainable practices are central. The other area of focus is Expansion of Financial Access. Many entrepreneurs, especially women and youth, struggle to secure affordable credit. We bridge this gap by linking them to financing opportunities, including our Catalytic Fund, which, when activated, will offer subsidized revolving credit to MSMEs participating in our programs. The other aspect of our work is protecting the environment. Sustainability is important to dfcu. Through our Tree Planting Promotion Program (TP3), we plan to plant 500,000 trees in the next five years to build climate resilience in the communities we support.
Q: Who benefits from dfcu Foundation’s programs?
A: Our doors are open to smallholder farmers, women-led businesses, young entrepreneurs, and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises—particularly underserved groups. Over the next five years, our goal is to transform the socio-economic status of 100,000 beneficiaries, with 60% being women and 40% youth. In agriculture, we focus on value chains like coffee, livestock and dairy, cereals, and oil seeds. For trade and business, our focus is women in business, youth-led businesses, MSMEs in the oil and gas supply chain, family businesses, youth-led business, as well as SACCOs and Investment Clubs. Even community groups working on climate-resilient projects can partner with us.
Q: What specific support do you offer farmers and agribusinesses?
A: Our hands-on programs provide training, coaching, mentorship and technical assistance. We cover financial literacy, agronomy, market linkages, and post-harvest handling, as well as business management and formalization support. For example, the Financial Expansion for Agricultural Transformation (FEAT) program, in partnership with Rabo Foundation, helps farmers and agribusinesses scale productivity and access finance.
We also run a Business Accelerator Program and collaborate with initiatives like Hi Innovator to nurture high-potential agribusinesses. The key qualification? Commitment to growth and adopting better practices. Just visit the dfcu Foundation offices, or any dfcu Bank branch and we will serve you.
Q: How does the Foundation promote sustainable farming?
A: Climate change is a real threat. We train farmers in agronomy, crop economics and climate-resilient techniques. Our accelerator programs also support innovations that balance profitability and environmental sustainability. Our TP3 program is intentionally designed to promote climate resilience practices and will be embedded in all our initiatives.
Q: What key challenges do farmers face, and how can they be addressed?
A: Limited access to finance, poor record-keeping and climate vulnerability top the list. Others include gender disparities, market access challenges and post-harvest losses. Solutions lie in initiatives like strengthening the capacity of producer organizations, adopting digital tools, and forging partnerships to improve market access and financial inclusion.
Q: How does dfcu Foundation support women in business?
A: Women face unique barriers, and our Business Accelerator Program (BAP) is tailored to support them. We offer mentorship, market linkages, and digital learning platforms like SOMA and Atingi. Through our collaborations with dfcu Bank, we support the Women in Business (WiB) initiatives such as dfcu Bank’s Rising Woman initiative, with enterprise development services. We target women running formal or semi-formal businesses in agribusiness, trade, and services—especially those ready to scale.
Q: In light of the rebranding process, what milestones has the Foundation achieved?
A: Since 2017 prior to rebranding to dfcu Foundation, we have trained thousands of farmers and businesses, but notable achievements include, strengthening 1,000+ agribusinesses, facilitating UGX 100 billion in loans to farmers and MSMEs, supporting 31,000+ women entrepreneurs (56% of beneficiaries). The rebrand marks a new chapter – scaling our reach to 100,000 beneficiaries by 2029.
Q: What principles guide your daily leadership?
A: I believe effective leadership is rooted in collaborative teamwork that sparks innovation. It thrives on placing the right people in the right roles—where skill, attitude, and adaptability intersect. True leadership also demands an accountable approach to work, resilience in the face of challenges, and a commitment to consistently delivering strategic value to all stakeholders.
Q: What’s your call to action for Uganda’s entrepreneurs and your stakeholders?
A: I encourage entrepreneurs to take advantage of dfcu Foundation’s programs. Whether you are a farmer, a woman in business, or a youth with a startup, we are here to help you grow. Together, we can build a more inclusive and sustainable economy.
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