Embracing the failing forward mentality, Emmanuel Luwemba’s journey of transforming Eden Seeds with Rootical.
A purpose driven entrepreneur is always learning and adapting. At Rootical, that’s exactly what Emma does; constantly iterating to meet market needs. His "failing forward" mindset is helping him scale his agri-food business. Learn more about his failing forward journey.
The Vision Behind Eden Seeds
In the heart of Uganda, where the rhythm of life is deeply intertwined with the land, Eden Seeds is sowing a new story of resilience and heritage. Born in Rootical’s studio, this agri-food business integrates the wisdom of traditional farming with the precision of modern agricultural practices.
Emmanuel Luwemba, the visionary Co-founder of Eden Seeds, is on a mission to transform Uganda's food system. With a passion for preserving the nation's agricultural heritage, he is championing the cultivation and promotion of indigenous seed varieties, starting in Wakiso and aiming to expand across Uganda.
Eden seeds aims to nurture indigenous seed varieties, ensuring they not only survive but flourish, remaining a vital resource for generations to come. By bridging the past and the future, Eden Seeds is cultivating more than crops, they're preserving a legacy and empowering communities to reap the benefits of regenerative agriculture.
Isaac Muhofa, the venture builder at Rootical (at the left) with Emmanuella Luwemba during a field visit in Wakiso district.
Emmanuel’s focus includes beans (Nambale short), indigenous maize, and selected vegetable seeds such as Ethiopian Eggplant ( Nakati) , Amaranth ( Dodo ), and Red Amaranthus Buga, aiming to provide these high-quality indigenous seeds to smallholder farmers. From the Food System Leadership bootcamp in August 2023,Emmanuel embarked on a journey to validate his business model through direct engagement with farmers and input shops leveraging systems thinking and human centered design.
Identifying the Challenges
At the start of 2024, Emmanuel set out to validate the willingness to pay for organic indigenous seeds by farmers and input shops in Wakiso District, central Uganda.
He began by selling directly to small input shops in grassroots communities, aiming to refine his business model and establish a minimum viable product (MVP). Through these interactions, he uncovered several key challenges;
Small input shops typically had a purchasing capacity of only 20-30 kilograms of seeds per month during good seasons, which usually lasted 2-3 months twice a year.
While some shops were recurring customers, the limited scale presented a revenue ceiling.
Additionally, supplying these shops required significant time, effort, and transportation costs, making the approach financially unsustainable in the long term.
Emma in one of the input shops in Wakiso district.
Gathering feedback from the field
To gain deeper insights, Emmanuel partnered with Rootical’s Venture Builder, Isaac Muhofa, for a field visit to the grassroots communities of Namayumba- Wakiso district. Together, they uncovered critical constraints of small shops;
While these shops were easier to onboard and didn’t require strict certifications, their limited purchasing power restricted revenue growth.
On the positive side, these shops’ willingness to pay and their positive feedback from farmers highlighted their value as a data source and a testing ground for new products.
Unlocking Venture Opportunities
During their visits to larger input shops in trading centers, Emmanuel and Isaac identified a significant opportunity where Larger shops could purchase up to five times the volume of seeds compared to smaller shops. Moreover, smaller grassroots shops often sourced their seeds from these larger trading centers, presenting a pathway to more scalable and efficient distribution. These insights highlighted the need for a strategic shift in focus to maximize impact and revenue.
Redefining the Eden seeds business model
From the feedback gathered, Emmanuel and Rootical iteratively refined the Eden Seeds business model. The primary focus was shifted to larger input shops with higher purchasing capacity, enabling better revenue potential and cost coverage. At the same time, Eden seeds maintained relationships with smaller shops to gather additional market data and test new products.
To further streamline operations, we identified three key distribution routes and optimized delivery schedules to minimize transportation costs. Orders are now consolidated and processed early in the week, with systematic deliveries ensuring both efficiency and reliability.
Paving the Way for a Sustainable Future
These strategic adjustments have yielded promising outcomes for example targeting larger shops has positioned Eden Seeds for scalability, while optimized routes and consolidated orders have reduced delivery costs and improved logistical efficiency.
Although the changes are still early stage, they provide a solid foundation for growth. By embracing a feedback-driven approach and balancing profitability with community impact, Emmanuel has transformed Eden Seeds into a business poised for strategic growth and long-term viability.
His journey demonstrates how failing forward, continuous iteration and customer engagement can turn challenges into opportunities, paving the way for a more regenerative and resilient food system.
