Mentorship and Coaching

Empowering Agri-Food Businesses to Achieve Standards, Unlock Markets, and Drive Growth

At NFSI, we are Uganda’s and indeed Africa’s trusted partner for technical excellence in food safety and quality. Our Coaching and Mentorship Services provide practical, hands-on support to businesses across the entire agri-food value chain—from agro-processing SMEs and cereal millers to Fresh Fruit and Vegetable (FFV) cottage industries and MSMEs. We guide you through the complexities of food safety and quality standards, transforming your operations to achieve tangible business growth and access better markets.

Our Approach: A Proven Pathway to Success

We move beyond theoretical training to deliver customized, on-site support that yields measurable results. Our collaborative and results-oriented process follows a proven pathway:

1. Comprehensive Gap Assessment:Our experts conduct a thorough on-site evaluation of your facility, processes, and systems against the required national or any other relevant market standards that you seek to implement and obtain certification. We identify critical deficiencies in infrastructure, hygiene practices and hazard control practices, documentation, and process controls.
2. Customized Roadmap Development:We work with your team to develop a practical, actionable roadmap that prioritizes investments and outlines clear, achievable steps to address all identified gaps.
3. Hands-On Coaching and Mentorship:Our experts guide you through the implementation of the roadmap. This includes:
   • Structural and Infrastructure Upgrades:Advising on facility layout, hygienic zoning and control points, appropriate floor/wall finishes, ventilation, drainage, and essential infrastructure like handwashing stations and changing rooms.
   • Systems Implementation:Assisting in the development and installation of essential food safety systems, including Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), Good Hygiene Practices (GHPs), HACCP principles, and comprehensive record-keeping protocols.
   • Value Addition and Product Development:Providing technical support to improve product quality, develop new products (e.g., fortified flours, new juice or wine varieties), and design packaging and labels that meet regulatory and market requirements.
   • Raw Material Supply Chain:Helping you streamline sourcing to ensure a consistent supply of high-quality raw materials, including guidance on supplier relationships and traceability.
4. Certification Support:We guide you through every step of the journey towards achieving the certification and obtaining quality marks, from prerequisite registrations to preparing for the final certification audit. We also conduct mock audits to ensure you are fully prepared.

Proven Impact: Transforming Businesses Across Uganda

NFSI has taken on the advisory function previously undertaken by its sister company – the renounced Food Safety Associates Limited (FSA). Our work  through FSA with partners like the USAID Feed the Future Inclusive Agricultural Markets Activity (FtF IAM) and TechnoServe’s Horticulture Market Acceleration Project (HortiMAP) demonstrates the powerful and wide-ranging impact of our approach as data in the table below indicates.

Client Success Stories

• From Shanty to State-of-the-Art: Some of the processors operated from sub-standard structures. Through our mentorship, they embarked on a phased construction of a new, fully compliant facilities, upgraded their packaging, and expanded their market reach across the regions and the country, resulting in a dramatic sales increase.
• From Crisis to Certification: When UNBS (regulator) banned products from several mills in in one region, some of our participating millers in the region urgently engaged our trained local consultants. With our support, they addressed all structural and systemic gaps within weeks and successfully achieved UNBS Q-Mark certification, resuming full operations.
• From Kitchen to Certification-Ready: One of the processor was operating out of a shared garage. Our guidance helped them rent a dedicated facility, implement proper hygiene systems, and increase production five-fold, putting them on a clear path to certification.
• Achieving the Q-Mark: Many of our beneficiaries successfully achieved UNBS certification with our direct support, opening doors to more formal and lucrative markets.

Building a Sustainable Local Ecosystem

We believe in creating a lasting impact. As part of our model, we identify, train, and mentor local Consultancy Service Providers (CSPs). These consultants are equipped with the skills and a commercial service package to independently support food processors in their communities, ensuring the knowledge and capacity for growth remain locally embedded.

• In our cereal processors project, 10 CSPs were trained. One of them, successfully guided seven (7) different maize millers to achieve UNBS certification within months of completing our training.
• In our resilience zones project, 6 CSPs we mentored went on to sign 16 independent contracts with new agro-processors, significantly extending the project’s reach and sustainability.

Why Partner with FSA?

• Proven Expertise: We are technical leaders in food safety, quality standards, and value addition across diverse agri-food sectors in Uganda.
• Practical, Hands-On Support: We work alongside your team on the factory floor to ensure lasting, demonstrable change.
• Holistic Approach: We address all aspects of your business—from raw material sourcing and processing to value addition, certification, and marketing.
• Commitment to Your Success: Our goal is to empower your business to produce safe, quality food, access higher-value markets, and achieve sustainable growth.

Ready to transform your food business? Contact us today to learn how our Coaching and Mentorship Services can help you meet your goals.

Location: Plot 1099 Block 215 Kondogolo Zone Ntinda –Kulambiro, off Ntinda-Kisaasi Road, P.O.Box: 2244 Kampala
Tel: +256 789 684636
Email: mirembe.m@nfsiafrica.org