LIRA, May 13, 2026 — The Office of the Resident District Commissioner [RDC] for Lira district has warned farmers in the district against wasting coffee seedlings distributed under the government programme of Operation Wealth Creation [OWC].
OWC was launched in July 2013 as a Government of Uganda intervention to efficiently facilitate socio-economic transformation in Uganda, with a focus on raising household incomes and wealth creation by transforming subsistence farmers into commercial farmers to end poverty.
While launching the distribution of coffee seedlings in Awiodyek Sub-county, Lira RDC Lillian Eyal said her office had established a monitoring committee to ensure accountability among beneficiaries.
The committee, comprising agricultural extension workers, Gombolola Internal Security Organisation [GISO] officers and parish contact persons, will move across the district to verify whether the seedlings have been planted or left to waste.
“Farmers receiving the coffee seedlings are telling us that their planting holes are ready and that they will plant immediately. We shall send our teams to confirm which farmers have planted the seedlings. Those found not to have planted them will have the seedlings withdrawn and given to farmers who are ready to plant,” Eyal warned.
Lira District Senior Agricultural Officer Patrick Alip said the seedlings had arrived at the right time, as farmers had already prepared their gardens and planting holes.
He noted that demand for coffee seedlings had increased significantly, indicating that farmers now recognise the higher economic value of coffee compared to other crops.
“The seedlings arrived on time this year. We have prepared our farmers well, and I do not think any seedling will die,” Alip said.
However, he noted a shortfall in supply, explaining that the district had requested 100,000 seedlings but received only 40,000.
Geoffrey Ojok, a coffee farmer from Amukugee Parish, said the timely delivery of the seedlings would enable farmers to plant while the rains were still stable.
Another coffee farmer said he now earns more income from coffee farming than he did when growing cereal crops.
“The long-term benefits of perennial crops are enormous. That is why I appeal to the government to support farmers with cocoa seedlings as well, so that it can improve household incomes and community wealth,” he said.
Coffee farming is steadily expanding in Lira and other districts across the Lango Sub-region in Northern Uganda as part of a broader economic transformation strategy. The shift from traditional cotton farming to high-value, drought-tolerant Robusta coffee is expected to improve household incomes and strengthen farmers’ resilience.
Uganda through its Coffee Roadmap aims to produce 20 million bags of coffee by 2025-2030. However, latest figures from the Agriculture ministry show that coffee exports for twelve months [April 2025-March 2026] totaled 8.8 million 60-kilogramme bags worth US$ 2.4 billion [Shs 8.8 trillion] compared to 6.9 million 60kg bags worth US$ 1.8 billion [Shs 6.6 trillion] in the previous year [April 2024- March 2025].
https://thecooperator.news/lira-city-schools-receive-coffee-seedlings-to-support-practical-learning/
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