Coffee farming kicks off week two of the expo

April 12 – coffee farming 

Predictably, it will be a cold morning and this is why the 2021 expo has planned a cup of coffee for you. 

The Monday morning training kicks off at 9am with coffee farming. 

This will be handled by Joseph Nkandu and Dr Godfrey Kagezi from the National Coffee Resources Institute (NACORI). 

NACORI is a government coffee research arm. 

Nkandu is a coffee farmer, with a farm in Buwama, Bunjako, Mpigi district.

He also works as Executive Director, National Union of Coffee Agri Business (NUCAFE).  

He has lived most of his life not only drinking coffee but also researching its growth.  

His production per acre is higher than what most farmers get and his postharvest handling practices carry a lot of lessons for other farmers.

 Nkandu says that farmers make losses due to poor harvesting and drying methods.  

“We are going to train not just the A-Z of coffee management, but also marketing of the crop,” Nkandu says.

 April 13 – Fish farming 

Fish farming can make money, but it is also a complex and sensitive venture especially if the farmer does not handle the basics properly. 

Some of these include site selection, pond construction, feeding and general maintenance of the ponds. 

This session will be led by Vincent Ssebutemba a fish farmer and researcher. 

Ssebutemba keeps fish in Nsangi on Masaka road with over 10 ponds. 

He also carries out fingerling breeding. 

“Fish farming has a very big potential to make many Ugandans wealth but the scant information for the farmers is the biggest challenge,” he says. 

April 15 - Urban farming 

 There will also be a session on urban farming. This will be led by Professor Diana Nambatya and Harriet Nakabaale, both urban farmers. 

Their main message will be about using small spaces to practice farming in Kampala. 

Nambatya, from Kulamburo, Nakawa division is a 2015 best farmer winner, who was selected because of her innovations in urban farming. 

She grows nearly everything that a person needs at home. 

Nakabaale is an urban farmer and consultant too. 

Urban farming, especially during the COVID-19 lockdown saved many families. 

“If you had greens at home, chicken for eggs and a few banana plants, you reduced on the pressures of buying food,” says Professor Diana Nsubuga Nambatya.

 April 16 - Goat keeping 

 Goat keeping makes money if the farmer understands the basics. 

According to estimates by the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), there were around 14.5 million goats in Uganda in 2020. 

This was however a tremendous growth in numbers from just 3.5million goats in 1990, 5.7million in 1996 and around 7.6million in 2002. 

About 95% of goats in Uganda are indigenous breeds, while just 5% are crossbreeds or pure exotic goats like the savannah, toggenberg and boer. 

These were imported to improve meat and milk production from crossbred offsprings. 

However, the challenge is that most farmers cannot distinguish the various goat breeds hence leading to indiscriminate cross-breeding, unsuccessful breeding programmes and reducing the intended benefits."

 The training will be led by Grace Bwogi and Dr James Muwanga. Bwogi is a goat keeper and farmers trainer. 

“Our emphasis will be put on managing goats for a profit,” Bwogi says.