TORORO-Coffee farmers in Tororo district have a reason to smile after receiving tools from government to help in the pruning of coffee trees.
Government through Uganda Coffee Development Authority [UCDA] procured tools namely pruning saws, pole saw blades, and their spare parts for Tororo farmers engaged in coffee growing.
However, before they could receive the tools, the coffee farmers were trained on how to use them by officials from the Tororo district production and marketing department.
The training and distribution of the tools to the coffee farmers took place at the Tororo district local government headquarters.
The farmers were told pruning and stumping coffee trees would help to improve the health and yield of coffee plants.
The deputy resident district commissioner Tororo, Albert Amula while officiating at the distribution of the tools, urged coffee farmers to form cooperatives so that they can have better bargaining power when dealing with buyers of their produce.
“The technical personnel will guide you on how to form cooperatives,” Amula told the coffee farmers, further appreciating the farmers for embracing coffee farming.
“I urge coffee farmers to seek services from the extension workers and Uganda Coffee Development Authority staff since they are experienced in coffee farming,” he said.
He further informed the farmers that currently coffee growing is one of the key enterprises that government is spearheading in the Parish Development Model [PDM] which is designed to move 3.5 million households still in subsistence farming to the money economy.
Amula said government would provide more support to the coffee farmers in Tororo district.
“More support will be extended to the coffee farmers and I urge them to grow it on a large scale in case some have big pieces of land,” he said.
Under the Coffee Roadmap launched in 2017, government is strengthening farmer organisations and producer cooperatives to enhance commercialisation for smallholder farmers and ensure broad access to extension services, inputs, finance, and aggregation.
Under the Coffee Roadmap, government hopes the country will produce 20 million bags of coffee by 2025-2030, earning US$ 1.5-2.2 billion per year, with 1.5mln having improved livelihoods.
More market for Ugandan coffee is expected in Europe, United States of America, and Asia, especially China.
https://thecooperator.news/chief-whip-obua-on-campaign-to-extend-coffee-growing-in-lango-sub-region/
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