By Nicolas Akasula
As the world advances into the era of artificial intelligence, industries are accelerating their operations, and entrepreneurs like Nicholas Katongole are leading the charge in Uganda’s agricultural sector.
Katongole, an entrepreneur with a background in healthcare and food processing, completed his economics studies at Keele University in England. Upon returning home, he founded Home Duuka, Uganda’s first online shopping company.
“It was actually the first of its kind in the country, even before Jumia arrived,” he recalls.
For two years, Home Duuka successfully delivered groceries from supermarkets to customers’ homes. However, with Jumia’s entry into the market, the competition became too stiff. “The giant came in and ate us up,” he says.
After this, he ventured into employment, working as a manager at Vero Food Industries and later at Quality Chemicals, a pharmaceutical manufacturing company. It was during his time at Quality Chemicals that his perspective on agriculture shifted, sparking a new venture.
Birth of NOA’S HERD
“My responsibilities at Quality Chemicals involved working closely with farmers, supplying them with chemicals and pesticides to protect their livestock and crops,” Katongole explains. This experience opened his eyes to both the challenges and opportunities in Uganda’s farming industry.
Katongole and his co-founder, David Tusubira, saw an opportunity to introduce digital record-keeping for farmers using mobile technology and digital tags, hence developing NOA’S HERD. This digital application, he believes, can transform the sector.
The idea was formulated on both biblical and scientific principles.
“Biblically, God sent a flood but spared Noah and his family. Today, climate change is wreaking havoc through floods, droughts, and wildfires. With this app, we see ourselves as playing a role in saving animals and humanity from these adversities,” Katongole explains.
From a scientific perspective, Katongole sought to tackle methane emissions from livestock, a major contributor to climate change. “Methane is a greenhouse gas that traps heat 28 times more effectively than carbon dioxide,” he says.
Studies show that methane emissions from livestock contribute 20–30 per cent of the climate crisis. Yet, demand for meat and dairy continues to rise. To address this, Katongole’s team introduced digital animal tagging and farm activity tracking. They also developed a feed supplement that neutralises the enzyme responsible for methane production in animals’ stomachs.
Beyond environmental benefits, this initiative also provides financial incentives for farmers. “We earn carbon credits—payments made to organisations that reduce greenhouse gas emissions—and share part of this revenue with farmers,” Katongole reveals.
More of how the app works
David Tusubira, Katongole’s co-founder, says NOA’S HERD mainly helps in making cattle inventories and health management. “It is used by farmers, farm managers, and staff to log farm operations,” he explains.
Tusubira adds that the app is a digital record-keeping tool that enables farmers to log key information such as roll calls, milking, insemination, births, treatments, income, and expenses. Each record is linked to an electronic ID, scanned via a Radio Frequency Identification(RFID) reader attached to a phone. Farmers can then generate reports to track farm performance.
“It helps you know if all your animals are present, monitor calving and death rates, track milk production and sales, record vaccinations, and manage farm expenses,” Tusubira explains.
“Another major benefit is tracking animal lineage and age. Sometimes, farmers have cows but don’t know their exact age. It’s hard to remember when a calf was born five years ago. This system keeps all this data, ensuring proper record-keeping and informed breeding decisions,” says Tom Rukundo, a farmer from Gayaza.
Challenges
Despite its potential, the innovation faces significant hurdles, especially bureaucracy.
“For Uganda to fully benefit from carbon credit opportunities, we need bilateral agreements with countries like Switzerland, Singapore, Japan, and the UK. I’ve spoken with colleagues in Kenya and Ethiopia, and they’re eager to collaborate. But here at home, officials keep saying, ‘We are working on policy,” Katongole says.
While he acknowledges ongoing efforts, he believes the pace is too slow.
Another challenge is changing the mindset of some farmers. “Not everyone sees the urgency of tackling methane emissions. Many are solely focused on production,” he says. However, he remains committed to raising awareness about the global shift towards environmentally friendly farming.
Looking ahead
Katongole is optimistic about the future. The farmers already working with NOA’S HERD are enthusiastic, understanding the benefits of better record-keeping and climate resilience.
Katongole and his team are currently focusing on Nakasongola’s cattle corridor before expanding into Kenya.
With NOA’S HERD, Ugandan farmers are stepping into the future of agriculture, one where data, technology, and sustainability drive progress.
