MASINDI – Bwijanga Coffee Farmers Cooperative Society Limited in Bwijanga Sub County, Masindi district has launched the construction of a coffee processing machine.
According to the Masindi District Engineer, Atugonza Ramek the construction work of the coffee processing machine is going to be conducted by Kona Construction Company Limited and will be supervised by Masindi District Local Government Authorities.
“The facility will house the coffee processing machine, offices and the store. We are also going to construct a one stance latrine,” the engineer explained on Wednesday during the ground breaking ceremony in Kikingura village Bwijanga sub-county.
Benedicto Ssensaga, the chairman of Bwijanga Coffee Farmers Cooperative Society Limited said that the Ministry of Agriculture sent them Shs 203 million under the Agriculture Cluster Development Project (ACDP) to facilitate the establishment of the machine.
“We were tasked to contribute 33% before we are given the money. We successfully raised the percentage and we contributed it in form of materials,” explained Ssensaga.
He added that the machine is going to address the issue of market since they’re going to be able to add value to their coffee noting that they have not been benefiting from their coffee because they would sell it as a raw material.
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“This machine is going to also boost coffee growing, create employment opportunities and also stir up development in the area. We thank the government for the support rendered to us. We are going to use this opportunity to develop ourselves,” he noted.
Mudede James, the LC III Chairperson Bwijanga sub-county asked the members of the cooperative to closely monitor the construction of the facility to avoid shoddy work.
“Make sure that you own this facility and closely monitor its construction. This facility is yours so make sure that you use it to change your lives,” said Mudede.
He also asked the contractor to give jobs to the local people such that the community can also benefit.
Nyendwoha Kiiza Kenneth the Member of Parliament Bujenje Constituency, challenged extension officers at Masindi District Local Government to help coffee cooperatives in the district to produce quality coffee which can be competed for in the market.
He said that many people are growing coffee but the quality being produced is bad because they don’t get extension services.
“We put a lot of emphasis on extension services because it’s necessary. Don’t stay in offices but also, you should go to the field and tell farmers what to do. Most of the farmers are there in the villages and they don’t know what to do,” stressed Nyendwoha.
Byaruhanga Cosmas, the Masindi district LCV said he has started achieving his mission of ensuring that cooperatives are uplifted.
“I told you during my term, I want to ensure that we have active cooperatives. I want to ensure that all cooperatives which collapsed are revived. We need to trace all these cooperatives to ensure that they are resurrected,” he explained.
Tibasimwa Dominic the Deputy Resident District Commissioner-DRDC Masindi pledged total support to the cooperative by the government noting that in case there’s any opportunity, they will be the first to be thought about.
Kikingura Coffee Farmers Cooperative which started in 2018 apparently has 1,050 active members and according to Ssensaga, this season they have experienced unreliable weather patterns which have significantly affected production more especially this season.
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