Over 40 workers from coffee processing industries have undergone training to improve their skills in ballista, coffee roasting and blending.

The week-long training which was conducted at Good African Coffee Ltd in Kampala between October 19-23, equipped workers with skills in roasting green coffee beans. They were also taught how to prepare cappuccino, latte and espresso that meet international standards.

Trainees were drawn from Jellitone Suppliers, Kawa Kawomera Ltd, Good African Coffee Ltd, MTL Mbale Main Traders, Bugisu Cooperative Union, Zigoti Coffee and Star Café Ltd. United States Agency for International Development (USAID) sponsored the training in partnership with Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA).

"Our biggest target is to improve our capacity in producing and exporting value-added coffee products and we cannot achieve this unless we have skilled manpower," said Mr Nathan Uringi, the Usaid LEAD project value chain manager.

The Livelihoods and Enterprises for Agricultural Development (LEAD) Project is a five-year development programme funded by Usaid to support visible and sustainable results through increased incomes, improved livelihoods and expanded rural employment opportunities.

"We currently produce only 210,000 tonnes per annum which represents a meager 3 percent on the international market and we have a challenge of boosting our production to at least 4.5 percent," UCDA Managing Director Henry Ngabirano said.