By Daniel Mumbya
Fred Kyakulaga, the minister of state for agriculture and fisheries has vowed to revamp coffee growing in Busoga and Bukedi sub-regions. Kyakulaga said the two regions that have a total number of 17 districts need to be back to their feet by making coffee growing a priority in order to benefit from the billions of shilling fetched in by the crop every year.
Busoga region has in the recent past been known for sugarcane growing which has left many farmers complaining that they are being paid peanuts from their sweat. The coffee crop which Kyakulaga has vowed to revamp in Busoga and Bukedi earns the country over Shs2.3 trillion according to records of Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) by October last year.
UCDA data also shows that Uganda exported 6.5 million bags last year which was an increase by more than one million bags compared to the 5.4 million bags exported in the year 2020. Nevertheless, Uganda is yet to hit her target of exporting 20 million coffee bags by year 2030.
Kyakulaga, who was meeting coffee farmers on Wednesday added that coffee earnings contribute over 25 percent of Uganda’s economy. The minister has set up a 17 members team with each district in Busoga and Bukedi having one representative. The group’s main task is to ensure coffee growing is popularized in the regions.
“My aim is to promote eastern Robusta coffee in eastern region” Kyakulaga said before he took farmers through the proper usage of fertilizers. The event was at Iganga district headquarters.
However, Kyakulaga warned farmers not to expect free coffee seedlings because free things tend to make people lazy. He emphasized that coffee seedlings will be bought by the farmers themselves.