VicPigs: Expanding economic opportunity in Uganda

Who we are: We are a team of young people committed to inclusive economic development in Uganda, led by Trevor Lwere, a recent graduate from the University of Notre Dame. We believe that business does not have to be a zero-sum process of picking winners and losers: it can and should be a process that delivers commercial value while improving the livelihoods of individuals and communities. So, we are seizing a commercial opportunity to create economic opportunities for the women and youth of Uganda.

The problem we are solving is a massive lack of a consistent supply of quality pork in Uganda. All premium pork consumed in Uganda is imported from either Kenya or Europe. We want to change that, and we want to do good while at it. So, we are seizing this lucrative commercial opportunity to create economic opportunities for the women and youth of Uganda. We are introducing a superior breed of pigs to Uganda and establishing commercial-scale piggery farms to provide a consistent supply of premium pork in the country.

The impact we hope to create: We do not want to solve this problem at the expense of the many women and youth who are currently the main actors in the pork sector and who

would be displaced by commercial farms like VicPigs. So, we want to work with them by giving them priority consideration for jobs on VicFarms.

How you can help us

Mainstream venture capital will not back us because agriculture is risky, and our social

entrepreneurial focus, despite having the potential to be self-sustaining, does not promise

savoury returns for investors. You can help us by donating to our campaign to raise $70k which will cover the costs of our first farm and set us on a path of self-sustaining growth which will see us opening five farms in the next five years through reinvesting recurrent revenues. We anticipate creating over 70 direct jobs on our farms and 150 indirect jobs in the communities where we shall operate.