Objective Evaluate the accuracy and precision of the copd-6 mini-spirometer for FEV₁ in a rural Ugandan population. Methods In a cross-sectional study, 171 smallholder farmers performed spirometry with copd-6, and a diagnostic-quality spirometer. Results and discussion The copd-6 underestimated FEV₁ at low flows and overestimated FEV₁ at high flows. Across all participants, the device slightly overestimated FEV₁ by 0.04 [0.02; 0.06] L. Calibration data showed similar patterns. Conclusion The copd-6 could be considered as an affordable tool for research on lung function impairment in resource-constrained settings. However, further validation in a study population with obstructive lung disease is needed.