Deal #7679 Version #80714

The land in particular being targeted is located on ranch 20 and 21 respectively with majority lawful occupants being smallholder farmers involved in substance agriculture

This land is part of the former government ranches in Bunyoro sub region that was given to the landless Communities in Nyamalebe Landless by government between 2000- 2002.

Agilis has never consulted the bonafide occupants on the investment, no valuation of properties, no agreed rates for compensation and there’s no agreement from them to give their land to this food company. According to Kabera James, the chairperson of Nyamalebe Landless Association, a rally was held at Kanoni in November, 2017 where the police and Kiryandongo Resident District Commissioner (RDC) announced that the land had been given to Joseph Initiatives. They were threatened with arrests and detention should they ‘sabotage’ the development.

This land is part of the former government ranches in Bunyoro sub region that was given to the landless Communities in Nyamalebe Landless by government between 2000- 2002. During lackdown the local were evicted off their land

Grabbing about 2000 hectares and forcefully evicting over 2300 families off Agilis Partners, Kiryandongo Sugar Limited and Great Season SMC Limited – are involved in grabbing land, violently evicting people from their homes and causing untold humiliation and grief to thousands of farming families residing in Kiryandongo district, Uganda. The land grabs are happening on abandoned national ranches, which have long since been settled and farmed by people who came to the area fleeing war and natural calamities in neighbouring areas. The local people are being displaced without notice.

The native communities accused Agilis Partners for scheming with Uganda Police and Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) to forcefully grab their land for agribusiness. They also accused workers of Agilis Partners Limited burnt down their houses, razed down dozens of schools and hospitals, cut down people’s crops, illegally detained outspoken community leaders, used excessive force and live ammunition to grab their land. In 2017, families whose land is targeted by multinationals have experienced cruelty ranging from rape, defilement, and gender-based violence as a tool to evict women and girls, houses have been torched, kidnaps, torture, arbitrary arrests, to beatings, among others.Ever since the government of Uganda announced the second lockdown, on 6th June 2021, to curb the spread of COVID-19 and a blanket lockdown further on June, 18th 2021, dozens of local farmers are crying foul for their gardens that have been ravaged their gardens and destroyed food crops by animals brought by multinationals including Agilis Partners Limited.Mr. Samuel Kusiima is among the residents affected, he said all his crops including maize, beans, banana plantations, and groundnuts have been destroyed.

The company and its agents used to do was to invade people’s home, put them on gunpoint and force you to sign for as low as Uganda Shillings 200,000 equivalent to US$ 54 as compensation for your five (5) acres of land and give 3 days to leave.

Asili Farms, in partnership with Joseph Initiative, transfers the conservation practices to smallholder farmers through training programmes. These practices have assisted farmers to more than double their yields.”