Anne Wheldon, our Senior Adviser, has been visiting Uganda for the 2011 Awards. Along the way, Anne caught up with 2008 winner, Fruits of the Nile.

Fruits of the Nile buys and processes dried fruit (mainly bananas and pineapple) from a network of small farming businesses that use solar driers on their farms. A lot has happened since I visited their factory and farm business in 2008. At that time, much of the production was ‘organic in conversion’ but now 90% is certified organic. Getting organic certification is no mean feat for anyone, but it’s a huge achievement when your supply chain involves over 800 individual family farms.

WHEN Angelo Ndyaguma decided to venture into the solar fruit business in 1992, he hardly knew his idea would attract global recognition.

Although it was registered in 1993, Fruits of the Nile (FON) started production in 2007. The company operates in Njeru town, Jinja district and helps small-scale farmers to dry fruits using solar power and to export them.

In recognition of its progress in harnessing solar power, FON recently won a prize of £20,000 (sh65m).