The government has warned coffee farmers against harvesting immature coffee and using poor post-harvest handling methods, saying such practices undermine the quality and value of Uganda's coffee on the international market.
David Wamala from the Ministry of Agriculture's Coffee Department said the government has started conducting operations against farmers and traders involved in practices that compromise coffee quality.
"Farmers must stop harvesting immature coffee and drying it on the ground because these practices affect the quality of our coffee," Wamala warned.
He said the government is prepared to arrest and prosecute those who deliberately compromise coffee quality, arguing that Uganda cannot afford to watch its valuable agricultural commodity being degraded.
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Wamala was speaking in Luweero during the launch of the second distribution of coffee seedlings to members of NRM Buwanguzi Greater Luweero.
The programme is part of President Yoweri Museveni's efforts to promote coffee growing and improve household incomes through commercial agriculture.
Wamala also revealed that the government is preparing to register coffee farmers and their plantations as part of efforts to improve traceability and maintain standards.
He said the registration requirement is linked to international market requirements, warning that farmers who fail to comply could face difficulties accessing some markets in the future.
Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Hadson Mukasa urged coffee farmers to unite and establish mechanisms that can help them negotiate better prices for their produce.
Mukasa said farmers should work together to improve the quality and value of Ugandan coffee instead of allowing individual buyers to dictate prices.
"It is time for the farmers themselves to come together and establish a system that prevents anyone from buying their coffee at whatever price they want," Mukasa said.
He argued that farmers put significant effort into producing coffee, yet often receive a small share of the profits compared to international buyers and other players along the value chain.
Mukasa also encouraged farmers to produce food alongside coffee, warning that wealth from cash crops should not come at the expense of household food security.
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"There is no one who can become wealthy without having something to eat," he said.
Gen. Muhamudu Abiriga, the Operation Wealth Creation coordinator in Luweero, commended President Museveni for fulfilling his pledge to provide coffee seedlings to farmers. He said the distribution of seedlings would help farmers increase coffee production and improve their livelihoods.
The farmers were also trained in technologies aimed at protecting coffee plants from excessive sunshine and improving water management. They were shown how locally available materials can be used to provide shade and support the watering of coffee plants.
Lt. Fredrick Ssenoga, chairperson of NRM Buwanguzi Greater Luweero, presented the number of coffee seedlings received by the farmers and appealed for government support, particularly in transport.
Ssenoga said farmers face challenges transporting their coffee and other agricultural produce from their farms to markets.
In a message delivered on behalf of the Minister for Luweero, Alice Kaboyo, the President's representative in Luweero, Mariam Sseguya Nalubega, commended President Museveni for fulfilling his pledge to support farmers with coffee seedlings.
Sseguya also praised Lt. Ssenoga, Gen. John Byuma and the committee for what she described as transparent management of the coffee seedlings.
She urged beneficiaries who get opportunities to meet the President to use them to advocate for projects that benefit communities rather than making personal demands.
