Masindi farmers trained in coffee farming to improve yields, incomes
MASINDI, March 3, 2026 — Members of Gukwatamanzi Farmers’ Cooperative Limited [GFC] in Labongo Subcounty, Masindi district, have undergone training in best agronomic practices for coffee production, one of Uganda’s leading foreign exchange earners.
Speaking during the training session held at the cooperative’s headquarters on Thursday, Programmes Manager Francis Byamukama said the cooperative had prioritised equipping its members with practical knowledge to improve coffee yields and quality.
“To ensure farmers understand best agronomic practices, appropriate inputs and the different high-yielding coffee varieties, we have allocated five acres out of our more than 200 acres to establish a coffee demonstration farm,” Byamukama said.
He urged members to embrace coffee growing, describing it as a high-value crop with significant income potential.
The farmers were trained by Frances Rwothomio, Regional Agricultural Officer for Kiryandongo, Masindi and Buliisa districts under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries [MAAIF], alongside representatives from fertiliser manufacturing companies.
Byamukama commended MAAIF for providing trainers, noting that many farmers lack adequate knowledge to maximise returns from coffee production.
“We are already organised as cooperative members and remain open to further training,” he said, appealing to the government for support in the form of fertilisers, coffee seedlings and other essential inputs.
He expressed optimism that the more than 100 cooperative members and non-members who attended the training would apply the knowledge gained to improve their household incomes.
Rwothomio encouraged farmers, including young people, to take up coffee growing, noting that it is not labour-intensive when managed properly.
“With coffee growing, you do not need to work harder but smarter by implementing recommended agronomic practices,” she said, urging farmers to adopt high-yielding varieties.
She also advised farmers across the district to join existing cooperatives in order to access government support.
“The government is supporting coffee farmers with fertilisers, agro-inputs and irrigation systems. However, many are unaware of this support because they are not working collectively,” she explained.
Rwothomio further stressed the importance of harvesting only ripe coffee cherries to maintain quality standards. She warned that the government is enforcing strict quality control measures and that anyone found harvesting unripe coffee risks arrest and prosecution.
Kanaginagi Ateenyi, a prominent farmer and Chairperson of the cooperative’s Supervisory Committee, said coffee farming should be approached as a business if farmers are to realise meaningful returns.
He encouraged the cooperative’s members to actively participate in training sessions to strengthen their knowledge.
Rev Canon Neuton Byaruhanga, Estate Officer of Masindi Kitara Diocese, praised the cooperative leadership for organising the training, saying it would help farmers transform coffee growing into a profitable enterprise.
He noted that many farmers engage in coffee cultivation without adequate knowledge, limiting their earnings.
“As a Diocese, we have introduced an initiative dubbed ‘Behind the Kitchen, 20 Coffee Seedlings’, where every Christian is encouraged to plant at least 20 coffee seedlings to boost household income. We have already started and are making progress,” he said, adding that the Diocese is committed to promoting both spiritual and economic growth.
He called on the government to intensify agricultural extension services across the region to provide consistent guidance to farmers.
Christopher Kutegeka, a cooperative member from Kihaguzi village in Labongo Subcounty, welcomed the training, saying it had exposed him to improved coffee varieties and better management practices.
“We have been affected by pests and diseases without clear solutions, but through this training, I have gained valuable knowledge on coffee growing,” he said.
Deo Tumusiime, another cooperative member from Bokwe village, suggested that similar training sessions should be extended to village level to reach more farmers.
Established in 1989 as a farmers’ association, Gukwatamanzi Farmers’ Cooperative Limited transitioned into a cooperative in 2010. It currently has about 100 members engaged mainly in maize and coffee production, alongside other crops. In 2020, the cooperative benefited from the now phased-out Agriculture Cluster Development Project [ACDP], receiving a maize mill valued at Shs 400 million.
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