Local coop in Kapchorwa desperately needs power to operate coffee hulling machine
The cooperative, which purchased a coffee hulling machine two years ago to boost value addition, and improve local farmers' incomes, says it has remained idle due to the lack of electricity
KAPCHORWA, August 25, 2025 — The Chema Integrated Cooperative Society Limited, based in Chema Subcounty, Kapchorwa district, has appealed to the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited [UEDCL] to urgently connect electricity to its coffee hulling machine.
The cooperative, which purchased a coffee hulling machine two years ago to boost value addition, and improve local farmers’ incomes, says it has remained idle due to the lack of electricity.
Speaking this reporter recently, the cooperative’s Chairperson, Stephe Satya, said frustration is mounting among the over 1,000 members who had hoped the facility would transform their livelihoods.
“This machine was meant to be a turning point for us as coffee farmers,” Satya said. “But for years, we’ve been waiting for electricity while our processing facility gathers dust. We’ve missed out on better incomes. We are appealing to the government, through UEDCL, to connect us to the national grid.” UEDCL succeeded UMEME early this year to connect power to households and production units.
The cooperative, which brings together smallholder coffee farmers across Chema Subcounty and surrounding areas, invested in the machine to reduce reliance on middlemen. Members say it is disheartening to watch traders from outside the region reap large profits from processing and marketing the same coffee they grow.
Farmers struggling without value addition
Farmer Rose Chelangat said the facility’s inactivity has had a direct impact on household incomes. “We waste opportunities every season. Some of us borrowed money to increase coffee production, hoping for better prices through value addition. Instead, we’re stuck in a cycle of debt, forced to sell raw coffee cheaply,” she explained.
Another member, Eliot Chelangat, said the lack of electricity has discouraged young people who had hoped for employment at the facility. “Youth were excited to work here, but every year we tell them to wait. Many now feel betrayed,” he said.
Broader economic impact
The cooperative’s plight is part of a wider issue across rural Uganda, where a lack of electricity continues to stall development efforts. Local leaders argue that the absence of reliable power in Chema undermines government ambitions for agro-industrialisation.
“This is not just about our cooperative, it’s a community investment,” Satya said. “If this facility becomes operational, it will attract buyers, improve coffee quality, and boost market confidence in Sebei coffee. Everyone in the area will benefit.”
Osbert Musobo, district councillor for Chema Subcounty, echoed these concerns, pointing out the contradiction between government campaigns promoting cooperatives and the lack of essential infrastructure.
“The government has urged us to form cooperatives and invest in agro-processing. But these initiatives can’t succeed without power. We call on UEDCL to respond quickly before farmers lose confidence in organised agriculture,” he said.
Repeated appeals ignored
According to cooperative leaders, multiple appeals have been made to both the district authorities and former electricity distributor UMEME, and now UEDCL’s Kapchorwa office, but no positive response has been received.
The farmers are now appealing directly to the Ministry of Energy and the Rural Electrification Agency [REA] to prioritise Chema Subcounty in national grid expansion efforts.
“This is about more than one machine, it’s about unlocking the economic potential of an entire community,” Satya stressed. “We are willing to pay for power. All we need is the connection.”
National context: Rural electrification still lagging
Over the past decade, the Ugandan government has implemented a rural electrification programme aimed at increasing electricity access from under 15 percent to over 60 percent by 2040. However, underserved areas like Chema Subcounty remain a challenge.
Experts argue that reliable, affordable electricity is essential for rural communities to shift from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture. Value addition, a central pillar of both the Parish Development Model [PDM] and Uganda Vision 2040, cannot be achieved without power.
Despite the delays, the cooperative remains hopeful. Satya concluded with a call for UEDCL officials to visit the site.
“Sometimes officials think we’re exaggerating. But if they come here, they will see the truth: the machine is ready, the farmers are ready. All that’s missing is electricity. We can’t afford to wait another decade.”
https://thecooperator.news/youth-cooperative-in-lira-city-seeks-coffee-hulling-machine/
Buy your copy of thecooperator magazine from one of our country-wide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news
