Agric. & Environment
VP Alupo rallies on Bukedi to embrace coffee, cocoa farming
“The limitations we are facing now are no longer ecological, but institutional, organisational, and investment-related. This means that with proper mobilisation, leadership and strategic investment, this region can become a major player in Uganda's coffee economy..............
Alupo unveiled Bukedi coffee processing and export company in Magola sub-county. Managed by John Okware, the establishment, occupying 500 acres of land, currently has 70 acres of coffee and banana plantation, which they want to triple in the next 4 months.
By: Michael Odeng, Journalist @New Vision
The vice president, Jessica Alupo, has called upon farmers in Bukedi sub-region to embrace coffee and cocoa as business enterprises by diversifying the already existing commercial enterprises in the region, including fruits, fish, dairy, poultry, and piggery, but they should also remember to produce food for consumption.
Alupo also challenged the Local leaders to mobilise communities and the Youth to participate actively in commercial agriculture, taking advantage of livelihood programmes of PDM, Emyooga, etc.
“The transformation of the Bukedi sub-region will not come through speeches alone. It will come through hard work, discipline, proper management of our farms and collective commitment to commercial agriculture using EKIBALO/Aimar, Otita, Cuura.
No matter how large the farm is, what is important is the unit production per branch of a coffee tree.
Bukedi has enormous potential to produce commercially, and it is strategically located to fetch market from their region or neighbouring Kenya’’ said Alupo, who also recommended that every individual should plant at least 100 to 450 seedlings.
Alupo made the remarks on Friday, June 26, during the launch of the second planting season for Coffee and Cocoa in Bukedi Sub-Region under the Theme: “Coffee for Wealth Creation, Household Commercialisation” held at Tororo municipal garden on Friday.
The occasion, she said, marks a very important milestone as leaders in our collective effort to transform agriculture from subsistence farming into a profitable commercial enterprise that creates wealth and improves household incomes.
Alupo's delegation included the speaker of Parliament, Jacob Markson Oboth, cabinet ministers, and members of parliament.
Other guests at the events included: local leaders’ leadership; technocrats, including farmer group leaders.
On the same day, Alupo unveiled Bukedi coffee processing and export company in Magola sub-county. Managed by John Okware, the establishment, occupying 500 acres of land, currently has 70 acres of coffee and banana plantation, which they want to triple in the next 4 months.
Alupo made the remarks on Friday, June 26, during the launch of the second planting season for Coffee and Cocoa in Bukedi Sub-Region under the Theme: “Coffee for Wealth Creation, Household Commercialisation” held at Tororo municipal garden on Friday.
The occasion, she said, marks a very important milestone as leaders in our collective effort to transform agriculture from subsistence farming into a profitable commercial enterprise that creates wealth and improves household incomes.
Alupo's delegation included the speaker of Parliament, Jacob Markson Oboth, cabinet ministers, and members of parliament.
Other guests at the events included: local leaders’ leadership; technocrats, including farmer group leaders.
On the same day, Alupo unveiled Bukedi coffee processing and export company in Magola sub-county. Managed by John Okware, the establishment, occupying 500 acres of land, currently has 70 acres of coffee and banana plantation, which they want to triple in the next 4 months.
Quoting scientific research, Alupo said that much of Northern and Eastern Uganda possesses excellent conditions for coffee production.
“The limitations we are facing now are no longer ecological, but institutional, organisational, and investment-related. This means that with proper mobilisation, leadership and strategic investment, this region can become a major player in Uganda's coffee economy.
In this campaign, leaders should be able to establish millions of coffee and cocoa trees across the seven districts of Busia, Tororo, Butaleja, Kibuku, Budaka, Butebo and Pallisa, with the target to raise and distribute over 80 million coffee and cocoa seedlings over the coming years. As we embark on this journey, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries will expedite interventions aimed at providing water for production/irrigation," Alupo said.
She emphasised use of Small-scale irrigation systems, Water harvesting technologies, Valley tanks and dams, Community water reservoirs and Sustainable watershed management.
"As I emphasised during the launch of the seedling distribution programme in Budaka in May, Agricultural transformation must go hand in hand with access to water for production. Irrigation will enable farmers to produce consistently throughout the year and sustain production during the drought periods," she added.
The vice president made a passionate appeal to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) to continuously support the provision of high-quality coffee and cocoa planting materials to farmers, offer extension services, and intensify mobilisation in commercial agriculture and encourage households to participate in the money economy.
Support should be given for Value Addition in coffee and cocoa processing to increase farmer earnings and create local employment opportunities.
"In 2017, H.E. The President approved the Coffee Roadmap with an ambitious goal to produce twenty 20million of 60kg bags of coffee by 2030. The vision focused on expanding Uganda’s coffee sector by increasing areas under cultivation, enhancing quality of coffee and boosting export revenues. The vision positioned coffee as a strategic driver of household wealth creation, export growth, industrialisation, and national prosperity with the potential to fundamentally transform the economic future of Uganda.
It is against this background that the people of Bukedi and Teso regions have embraced this campaign as a national opportunity to become one of Uganda's leading coffee-producing and processing regions in Uganda’’ she said.
The Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Markson Oboth, said the launch was the beginning of the journey towards renewed wealth creation, empowerment and improved household income.
He said coffee and cocoa have become some of Uganda’s leading export commodities, generating employment and income for millions of people, adding that the Bakedi should fully benefit from the opportunities.
“I encourage our farmers to embrace modern farming methods, use quality planting materials, protect the environment and work together through cooperatives and farmer groups. These practices will improve productivity, increase bargaining power and strengthen household resilience,’’ he said.
He said as parliament, they will remain committed to supporting legislation, policies and budget allocations that strengthen agriculture, improve rural infrastructure, expand extension services and promote agro-industrialisation.
Oboth encouraged the youth and women to actively participate in coffee and cocoa growing and value change because its business is capable of creating sustainable jobs and wealth once approached with the right mindset and technologies.
Frank Tumwebaze, the minister of Agriculture and animal industry, said his ministry is going to create sub-regional mechanisation centres to help farmers with farm implements instead of giving tractors to individual farmers.
He committed to provide a tractor to Bukedi coffee processing and export company since it's a model learning centre for farmers in the sub-region.
Tumwebaze said that because of the high demand for seedlings, they are going to agree on modalities of helping farmers either by providing free seedlings or at subsidised prices.
“The days of condemning cotton are no more; we have come here today to dismantle the falsehood that coffee can’t do well in this region. I call upon the extension workers to do their work and not to sleep on the job,” Tumebaze said.
“The limitations we are facing now are no longer ecological, but institutional, organisational, and investment-related. This means that with proper mobilisation, leadership and strategic investment, this region can become a major player in Uganda's coffee economy.
In this campaign, leaders should be able to establish millions of coffee and cocoa trees across the seven districts of Busia, Tororo, Butaleja, Kibuku, Budaka, Butebo and Pallisa, with the target to raise and distribute over 80 million coffee and cocoa seedlings over the coming years. As we embark on this journey, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries will expedite interventions aimed at providing water for production/irrigation," Alupo said.
She emphasised use of Small-scale irrigation systems, Water harvesting technologies, Valley tanks and dams, Community water reservoirs and Sustainable watershed management.
"As I emphasised during the launch of the seedling distribution programme in Budaka in May, Agricultural transformation must go hand in hand with access to water for production. Irrigation will enable farmers to produce consistently throughout the year and sustain production during the drought periods," she added.
The vice president made a passionate appeal to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) to continuously support the provision of high-quality coffee and cocoa planting materials to farmers, offer extension services, and intensify mobilisation in commercial agriculture and encourage households to participate in the money economy.
Support should be given for Value Addition in coffee and cocoa processing to increase farmer earnings and create local employment opportunities.
"In 2017, H.E. The President approved the Coffee Roadmap with an ambitious goal to produce twenty 20million of 60kg bags of coffee by 2030. The vision focused on expanding Uganda’s coffee sector by increasing areas under cultivation, enhancing quality of coffee and boosting export revenues. The vision positioned coffee as a strategic driver of household wealth creation, export growth, industrialisation, and national prosperity with the potential to fundamentally transform the economic future of Uganda.
It is against this background that the people of Bukedi and Teso regions have embraced this campaign as a national opportunity to become one of Uganda's leading coffee-producing and processing regions in Uganda’’ she said.
The Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Markson Oboth, said the launch was the beginning of the journey towards renewed wealth creation, empowerment and improved household income.
He said coffee and cocoa have become some of Uganda’s leading export commodities, generating employment and income for millions of people, adding that the Bakedi should fully benefit from the opportunities.
“I encourage our farmers to embrace modern farming methods, use quality planting materials, protect the environment and work together through cooperatives and farmer groups. These practices will improve productivity, increase bargaining power and strengthen household resilience,’’ he said.
He said as parliament, they will remain committed to supporting legislation, policies and budget allocations that strengthen agriculture, improve rural infrastructure, expand extension services and promote agro-industrialisation.
Oboth encouraged the youth and women to actively participate in coffee and cocoa growing and value change because its business is capable of creating sustainable jobs and wealth once approached with the right mindset and technologies.
Frank Tumwebaze, the minister of Agriculture and animal industry, said his ministry is going to create sub-regional mechanisation centres to help farmers with farm implements instead of giving tractors to individual farmers.
He committed to provide a tractor to Bukedi coffee processing and export company since it's a model learning centre for farmers in the sub-region.
Tumwebaze said that because of the high demand for seedlings, they are going to agree on modalities of helping farmers either by providing free seedlings or at subsidised prices.
“The days of condemning cotton are no more; we have come here today to dismantle the falsehood that coffee can’t do well in this region. I call upon the extension workers to do their work and not to sleep on the job,” Tumebaze said.