Members of Parliament okay Coffee Bill

Members of Parliament on the agriculture committee have okayed the National Coffee Bill, 20I8, seeking to overhaul the coffee sector.

The Bill aims at reforming the law to provide for Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) to regulate, promote and oversee the coffee sub-sector and to regulate all on-farm and off-farm activities in the coffee value chain.

The committee, chaired by Janet Grace Akech Okori-Moe (Abim Woman), which has been scrutinising the Bill has accepted to support the key proposals in the Bill to regulate the coffee industry.

The Bill provides for the registration of all coffee farmers in the country through UCDA.

Registration will be free and each registered farmer will be given an identification number, which could be withdrawn should they flout the procedures.

The Bill under clause 26 cap2 (a) further stipulates that for a person to be registered, "he or she shall either be growing coffee at the time of registration or shall have proof of his or her intention to commence growing coffee within a period of six months, from the date of registration."

According to the report, which is yet to be tabled before the House, MPs argue that registration of coffee farmers is long overdue. The provision for registration caused a lot of debate when the Bill was tabled.

MPs defended it, saying it will help in comprehensive planning for coffee farmers when it comes to linking buyers and farmers, setting up irrigation systems, provision of planting materials and extension services.

Deregistration of Farmers

MPs also supported clause 28 of the Bill that provides for deregistration of coffee farmers for failing to comply with the terms and conditions of registration.

The committee agreed with the proposal recommending that a coffee farmer be de-registered if he or she neglects a coffee farm since it can become a haven for pests and diseases and affect neighbouring farms. The Bill proposes that a coffee farmer seeks redress with the minister should they feel aggrieved in case of deregistration.

MPs proposed that in case a coffee farmer cannot reach the minister, the latter can delegate his powers to any established organs of government.

Offences under the Bill

The Bill proposed a five-year jail sentence where a farmer neglects his coffee farm. However, the committee opposes punishing farmers who decide to quit coffee growing in preference for some other venture.

They argue that it would be prudent for a farmer who stops growing coffee to notify the responsible officer to notify UCDA about the loss of interest in coffee farming," the report read.

The report says coffee remains Uganda's leading export crop employing over seven million people equivalent to 1.7 million households in over 100 coffeegrowing districts. Uganda is the world's eighth largest producer of coffee.

If passed into law, the committee believes the Bill will streamline the coffee sector and enhance the production of coffee to meet the aspirations of producing 20 million bags by 2030.