Research is one of the 3 major pillars of the Uganda Coffee Industry. The other major pillars are extension and marketing. Coffee research carried out by the Coffee Research Centre (COREC), under the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO).

COREC is based at Kituza in Mukono District (38Km east of Kampala) with a substation at Bugusege in Sironko district.

The Kituza campus, where research for both Robusta and Arabica coffees is conducted, occupies 195ha and the Bugusege campus, which is specific for Arabica coffee research on Arabic, occupies 6ha.

Substantial coffee research activities are also carried out at Kawanda National Agricultural Research Laboratories (NARL).

MANDATE OF COFFEE RESEARCH

To generate, develop and disseminate appropriate technologies, methods and knowledge for enhancing production of Robusta and Arabica coffee in Uganda.

MISSION

To raise farmers’ income by enhancing productivity and quality of Robusta and Arabica coffee through generation, development and dissemination of appropriate technologies, knowledge, skills and methods, while conserving associated natural resource base.

GOAL

To contribute to household incomes for food security and sustainable household development and foreign exchange for national development programs while conserving the natural resource base.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

• To develop and disseminate varieties of Robusta and Arabica coffee with high stable yields, resistance to diseases and insect pests, acceptable market qualities and adapted to different agro-ecological conditions.

• To develop sustainable and environmentally sound practices for managing soil fertility, crop canopy, water stress, population densities, tree shade and insect pests of Robusta and Arabica coffee.

• To increase level of adoption of technical recommendations for management of Robusta and Arabica coffee

• To characterize and conserve Robusta and Arabica coffee gene pools. Read more