AMURU, April 26, 2025 – Farmers in Amuru district are in need of at least 855,350 coffee seedlings for planting in the current season. In total, the farmers in the district have set aside 1,910 acres of land for coffee cultivation under the government’s Operation Wealth Creation [OWC] initiative.
OWC was launched in July 2013 by President Yoweri Museveni as a strategy to drive socio-economic transformation by transitioning subsistence farmers into commercial producers, with the ultimate goal of increasing household incomes and eradicating poverty.
Denis Amone, the Senior Agricultural Officer for Amuru district, stated that the requested coffee seedlings will serve approximately 800 farmers who have registered to plant during this ongoing season.
According to the breakdown of registered farmers who interested in coffee growing, Guru Guru Sub-county leads with 208 farmers, followed by Lakang Sub-county with 101, Layima Sub-county with 95, and Pabo Sub-county with 94. Atiak Town Council and Opara Sub-county recorded the lowest numbers, with only 9 and 10 farmers respectively.
Amone noted that before the seedlings are distributed, the farmers will undergo training in proper coffee management practices. The training, to be conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries [MAAIF], is scheduled to take place before the end of April 2025.
“Before distributing the seedlings, we need farmers to understand proper planting and management techniques. Otherwise, poor handling could lead to wastage,” Amone explained.
Nixon Oloya, one of the registered farmers, expressed hope that coffee farming will improve his family’s financial well-being, especially following the government’s campaign to increase farmer participation in the sector.
However, he voiced concerns about market access. “With so many people now planting coffee, prices might fall. And for someone like me in Lakang, how do I ensure I get a fair deal?” Oloya questioned.
Simon Komakech, the Amuru District Agricultural Officer, revealed that the latest registration brings the number of coffee farmers in the district to 1,400.
“We need more people to join coffee farming. Amuru has incredibly fertile land, and our district’s target is to have at least 15,000 farmers growing coffee,” Komakech said.
A report by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries [MAAIF] indicates that Uganda, which comes second behind Ethiopia, in the production of coffee in Africa, exported 6.57 million bags of coffee between March 2024 and February 2025, earning US$ 1.72 billion [approximately Shs 6.3 trillion]. This marks a 6.99 percent increase in quantity and a significant 70.71 percent increase in value compared to the 6.14 million bags worth US$ 999.84 million exported during the previous period [March 2023–February 2024].
https://thecooperator.news/over-200-locals-enrol-in-coffee-farming-initiative-in-soroti-district/
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