Minister calls for extension workers specifically for coffee growing

State minister for agriculture, Christopher Kibanzanga, Wednesday emphasised need for countrywide extension workers, proper crop handling capped by value addition as he inaugurated the eight coffee development board.

A lot has been talked about satisfactory extension officers who can relay farming expertise to local agriculturalists so the country can boost its yields from the sector, but it has always kept on paper.

The minister said: "We need to address the challenge of inadequate extension workers in hard-to-reach areas, where the coffee is."

Apart from extension workers, the minister called for improved quality along the value chain, from planting to harvest time and to when coffee gets on the market.

"The low seedling survival rates due to inadequacy of farmers to actually plant the seeds received (under Operation Wealth Creation) is another area of concern," the minister said.

He also addressed the existence of "very old and unproductive coffee plants" estimated at 60%, which he said was a big challenge.

He said he would be presenting the Coffee 2017 Bill to Cabinet later this year; policy should also help to improve coffee yields when approved.

President Yoweri Museveni launched a Coffee 2020 initiative in April, where the sector aims at increasing production from the current 4 million bags to 20 million.

Kibanzanga said he was confident the new board would deliver the target in the immediate term.

Uganda earned $490m from the 4.2m bags of coffee it exported the last financial year.

"The potential is big. We have to attract more individuals including the youth (into coffee growing)," board chairperson,Perez Bukumunhe, who bounced back for a second term, said.

The new board consists of fresh members and a few remnants from the previous (board).

The Uganda Coffee Development Authority Managing director, Dr. Emmanuel Lyamulemye called Ugandans to "enjoy" planting and drinking coffee, saying it was among prioritized commodities, which will drive the country to a lower middle-income status by 2020.