Christians in Bunyoro-Kitara Diocese urged to embrace coffee farming
KIKUUBE, 7 September 2025 — The Bishop of Bunyoro-Kitara Diocese, Rt. Rev. Jacob Ateirweho, has called upon Christians in the diocese to embrace coffee farming as a means of improving household incomes.
Bishop Ateirweho made the remarks on Saturday during the official handover of the Wambabya Coffee Farm [Wambabya Coffee Project] from the Christian and East African Equatorial Development Trust Pennsylvania, USA, commonly known as CEED Trust, to the diocese.
The farm, located in Butimba East village, Kiziranfumbi sub-county, Kikuube district, was established in 2000 by CEED Trust under a 25-year lease agreement. The diocese provided 36 acres of land for the project, which has grown to process over 20 tonnes of coffee each season.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Bishop Ateirweho stressed the importance of large-scale coffee cultivation for both Christians and the wider community. He noted that coffee offers stable and attractive prices compared to other crops such as beans, maize, and sugarcane.
“Invest in coffee growing because the prices are good and relatively stable. Unlike beans or maize, well-maintained coffee can yield up to Shs 20 million per acre annually,” he said.
The bishop expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition of the coffee farm, saying it will generate significant income for the diocese. He explained that the new farm adds to the existing 11-acre coffee project already under the diocese’s management.
The diocese now aims to expand to over 200 acres of coffee and more than 50 acres of cocoa within the next five years.
“We are encouraging all our parishes to engage in coffee farming. We thank our parish priests who have responded to this call. We are also deeply grateful to CEED Trust for being faithful partners over the years. They have cared for the coffee farm diligently, and as you can see, it is thriving. We believe this is a blessing from God for Bunyoro-Kitara Diocese, and the income generated will be used to advance His Kingdom,” he added.
Ateirweho also appealed to the government to support the diocese in establishing a coffee processing factory to add value to their produce.
“We kindly ask His Excellency President Museveni to support us with machinery for husk removal. This will allow us to process and sell value-added coffee. With over 46 acres of diocesan coffee, not to mention the individual farms of our Christians, the factory is now a necessity,” he stated.
Herbert Asiimwe, a CEED Trust board member, praised the partnership with the diocese, saying it had successfully fulfilled its goals.
He explained that the Wambabya Coffee Project was initiated to provide employment, empower local farmers with skills to produce high-quality coffee for export, and generate income for the diocese.
He revealed that the 36-acre farm comprises 16,200 coffee trees, 42 beehives, and 100 mature eucalyptus trees.
“Although many refer to it as a coffee farm, we call it the Wambabya Coffee Project because it includes various enterprises such as apiary. We are not only handing over a coffee farm, but also a beekeeping project, and we urge the diocese to ensure its sustainability,” Asiimwe said.
He reaffirmed that the handover was in line with the original memorandum of understanding, which stipulated that CEED Trust would manage and develop the project for 25 years, after which it would be returned to the diocese.
“The Wambabya project was started by CEED Trust in 2000 on diocesan land with the goal of helping the people of Bunyoro. Our agreement was to run and develop the farm and later hand it over to the diocese. Since 2000, we have managed the farm and paid a nominal rent of $1,000 annually,” he explained.
Robert Owagonza, Head of Laity for Bunyoro-Kitara Diocese and an official at the Bank of Uganda, said the handover comes at a strategic time as the diocese strives for financial independence.
“This is a very timely initiative. It will become a key income-generating project for the diocese. We are now in an era of self-sustenance, and our goal is to thrive without relying on government or donor support from abroad,” he said.
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