Building an agribusiness venture in Africa – The tough road to success
Teddy Ruge, founder and CEO of Raintree Farms, discusses the realities of building a successful agribusiness venture in Uganda.
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Interview with Teddy Ruge
FOUNDER and CEO, RAINTREE FARMS
Lives in: Uganda
Teddy Ruge, founder and CEO of Raintree Farms, runs a moringa-growing and processing business in Masindi, Uganda. Moringa, a nutrient-rich superfood, has global demand – but Ruge’s journey has been anything but smooth, navigating halted contracts, geopolitical fallout, and other unexpected challenges. How we made it in Africa editor-in-chief Jaco Maritz spoke to him about the realities of building a successful agribusiness venture in Uganda.
Topics discussed during the interview include:
Why Ruge saw moringa as a promising agribusiness opportunity
The challenges of convincing farmers to grow moringa
Securing a $1 million order from the US
Navigating setbacks, from export hurdles to funding shortfalls
What he would do differently if he were to start the business again
