Gulu Agricultural Cotton – Uganda

Gulu Agricultural Development Company (GADC) is an aggregator, processor, and exporter of cotton and sesame. The company was established in Gulu, northern Uganda, in 2009 by its owner and CEO, Bruce Robertson, with the encouragement of the Ugandan government following the end of the civil war. 

Operating through three ginneries and a sesame processing facility in the region, GADC manages an outgrower network through which it provides market access, agricultural inputs, and training in best agricultural practices to approximately 50,000 smallholder farmers. Of these, GADC maintains direct contractual relationships with more than 30,000 farmers who have been certified organic and Fairtrade-certified, enabling them to obtain premium prices for their products. Among the direct beneficiaries are many refugees from conflict-affected areas in the region. 

The investment was made with the expectation of significantly expanding GADC’s inclusive sourcing model by increasing the number of smallholder beneficiaries from approximately 55,000 to more than 80,000, while raising average annual farmer incomes from approximately USD 275 to USD 300. Gender inclusion is also expected to improve, with the share of women beneficiaries projected to rise from 36% to around 46%, alongside increases in female employment across both permanent and temporary roles. These impacts are expected to further strengthen livelihoods in low-income and post-conflict communities in northern Uganda.