For 20 years, Steven Dralada Nzima worked as a security guard in Kampala, including at Equity Bank Uganda offices. Today, he is running a commercial farm in Adjumani District, growing crops, keeping livestock and managing forestry, while providing jobs for people in his community.
The journey has been gradual. Steven started with a modest salary, family responsibilities and a determination to build something of his own.
With 12 siblings to support, he made a habit of saving whatever he could from his earnings. He also joined peer-lending groups, using the small amounts he accumulated to build a financial base.
In 2018, he made his first major investment in farming. He used his NSSF payout together with money received as compensation for land to acquire farmland, buy inputs and start farming commercially.
As the farm grew, however, access to machinery became a challenge. In Northern Uganda, farmers often have to rely on hired equipment, which can be difficult to secure during busy planting and harvesting seasons.
In 2022, Steven secured an agricultural asset loan from Equity Bank Uganda and used it to buy his own tractor. Having his own equipment allowed him to work more efficiently and reduce the delays and costs associated with hiring machinery.
The farm has continued to expand. Steven now has 140 acres under cassava and another 35 acres under maize. He also grows rice and groundnuts, keeps livestock and has invested in forestry.
The business is creating opportunities beyond his own farm. Steven employs 15 people on a full-time basis and hires about 45 seasonal workers. He also earns additional income by hiring out his farm machinery to other farmers.
His next goal is to take the business to another level. Steven is formalising the enterprise as a limited liability company and is looking for additional financing to invest in processing and value addition, expand his tractor fleet and sell his produce directly to markets in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
What started with a security job and a commitment to save has grown into a farming business with land, machinery, employees and ambitions beyond Uganda’s borders. For Steven, the journey shows that building a successful business can start small — with discipline, a clear goal and the willingness to keep reinvesting as opportunities come.
