Lango church leaders train in coffee growing to boost household incomes
LIRA CITY, April 13, 2026 — More than 200 clergy and church administrators from the Diocese of Lango have undergone training in coffee cultivation and management, as part of efforts to improve household incomes and livelihoods ahead of a planned distribution of seedlings.
The training, held last week at Canon Lawrence Primary Teachers’ College [PTC] in Lira City, focused on key aspects of coffee production, including seedling management, field maintenance and post-harvest handling to enhance yields.
Organisers said the initiative is also designed to position religious leaders as role models, encouraging their congregations to adopt coffee growing as a pathway out of poverty.
Andrew Okello Awany, the Regional Agricultural Officer covering Lira, Otuke, Alebtong, Dokolo, Kalaki, Kaberamaido and Amolatar districts, acknowledged persistent challenges in coffee farming, particularly gaps in knowledge.
“There has been a clear knowledge gap, especially in managing coffee during the dry season and adopting climate-smart practices,” Okello said. “Through this training, we are equipping leaders with practical skills in coffee agronomy, rom planting and seedling care to dry-season management, so they can establish demonstration plots in churches and schools and guide their communities effectively.”
He emphasised that distributing seedlings without adequate training would be counterproductive.
“Our approach is to work with institutions that have requested seedlings by first equipping their leaders with the necessary knowledge,” he explained. “By doing so, we increase the chances of success and ensure this intervention translates into improved livelihoods and meaningful poverty reduction.”
Okello added that a well-managed hectare of coffee can generate between Shs 5 million and Shs14 million annually, describing the crop as a viable route to transforming household incomes in the Lango sub-region.
The training has already sparked enthusiasm among participants, many of whom expressed renewed interest in coffee farming.
Sharon Adok, a catechist at Otim Tom Church of Uganda in Lira City, said the initiative had strengthened her long-held ambition to grow coffee.
“I have always wanted to venture into coffee growing, and this training has given me the confidence to start,” she said. “I will also encourage fellow Christians to embrace it, because it can help families meet their basic needs and improve their standard of living.”
Dominic Acai, a catechist from Alira Archdeaconry in Alebtong district, described coffee as a long-term investment.
“This training has deepened our understanding and increased our interest in coffee growing,” he noted. “It is a crop that can provide sustained income. If I plant it now, it will continue to benefit my children even in the future.”
Rev. Jimmy Francis Odongo, the Diocesan Youth and Children’s Mission Coordinator, said the region’s historical reliance on perennial crops had left many households vulnerable to erratic weather.
“For years, we were misled into believing coffee could not thrive here, which limited our options and kept many families in poverty,” he said. “With climate variability affecting seasonal crops, this shift towards coffee is both timely and necessary.”
He added that poverty has also constrained church programmes.
“It is extremely difficult to effectively minister to communities facing chronic poverty,” Odongo said. “Many church projects stall due to lack of resources. However, if households adopt coffee growing, incomes will improve, and both families and the church will be better positioned to thrive within a few years.”
Meanwhile, Lira District Production and Marketing Officer Thomas Okello stressed that knowledge and access to quality planting materials are critical for success in agriculture.
“Farmers must begin with the right knowledge and high-quality seedlings if they are to succeed,” he said. “We encourage leaders to start on a manageable scale, learn progressively, and expand as they gain experience.”
He also urged participants to utilise locally available resources such as livestock manure to improve soil fertility.
“Do not waste cattle dung or poultry droppings, these are valuable inputs for coffee farming,” he advised. “Step by step, we can transform our households and secure a better future for our children.”
In addition, he called on households to diversify into fruit and vegetable production to enhance both nutrition and income.
“Our homes should become centres of productivity and health,” he said. “By establishing orchards and vegetable gardens, families can improve their diets while generating additional income.”
The initiative marks a growing effort to promote coffee as a sustainable livelihood option in northern Uganda, with religious institutions playing a central role in driving community uptake.
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