Ave Agro Farm Limited Restoring Soil Health and Increasing Farmer Incomes

Many smallholder farmers across Northern Uganda are battling declining soil health, driven by overuse of inorganic chemicals, soil erosion, and unsustainable farming practices limiting productivity and long-term resilience. Juliet Akumu, founder of Ave Agro Farm Limited and Founder in Residence at Rootical, is working to reverse that trend. The problem: Farmers continue to experience soil degradation, yet lack access to practical, regenerative solutions that restore soil fertility while maintaining productivity. This results in lower yields, increased dependency on chemicals, and limited income growth. The solution: Ave Agro Farm Limited works with farmer groups to introduce cover crops such as brachiaria, soybeans, and desmodium to rebuild soil health naturally. These crops add organic matter, fix nitrogen, and help repel pests reducing the need for synthetic inputs. At the same time, Ave Agro strengthens market systems by milling soybeans into value-added products like soy oil and soybean cake, ensuring farmers earn more from what they produce. Currently, Ave Agro farm is working with 40 farmer groups in Gulu District, piloting localized seed systems and supporting farmers with access to planting materials and markets. The model creates both a push and pull effect restoring soils while improving incomes. Watch Juliet explain how Ave Agro Farm Limited is restoring soil health and building sustainable livelihoods from the ground up.