Coffee farmers in Kyotera District are grappling with a surge in thefts that threaten their livelihoods and the district's standing as a top coffee producer.

Villages like Kachanga, Bukala, and Ndolo have become hotspots for nighttime raids, where thieves target farms, leaving farmers devastated.

Amos Ngerimana, a farmer from Kachanga, described the situation as dire. "The thieves come at night and steal our coffee, leaving us with nothing despite the effort we put into farming," he lamented.

Farmers are now appealing for urgent intervention. Kato Musa, another affected farmer, emphasized the need for enhanced security: "We need the police and even the UPDF to help us guard our farms at night. This is the only way we can protect our coffee."

Kyotera, ranked among Uganda's top 10 coffee-producing districts in the 2023/24 season, recorded an output of 44,360 bags of coffee, according to the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA).

However, the escalating thefts threaten to derail this success and tarnish the district's reputation.

State Minister for Microfinance, Kyeyune Haruna Kasolo, who is also a prominent coffee farmer in the district, pledged decisive action.

"As the largest coffee farmer in this district, I cannot sit by and watch farmers suffer losses. We must work together to address this issue," he said.

The crisis escalated last week when a suspected coffee thief was killed in Ndolo village, heightening tensions and fears among locals.

With the price of coffee in Uganda now at Shs15,000 per kilogram--up by Shs3,000 from last year--the stakes for farmers are higher than ever.

Many worry that continued thefts will not only reduce their incomes but also disrupt the district's economic progress.

Farmers are urging the government to deploy more security personnel to protect their farms.

They hope that swift action will restore peace and allow them to focus on boosting Kyotera's coffee production uninterrupted.