By Aggrey Baba
Uganda’s coffee industry is set to gain a boost through a new coffee training centre and roasting facility, thanks to a partnership with the Italian government.
Coffee is one of Uganda’s most important exports, bringing in significant foreign exchange. Now, a project funded by Italy aims to enhance the country’s coffee production by improving skills and adding value before export.
The news was shared by Marco Rusconi, Deputy Director-General of the Italian Development Cooperation, during a recent meeting with Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kampala. This meeting was part of a three-day visit by an Italian delegation to follow up on previous projects introduced by Italy, after Nabbanja successfully attracted their support last year.
The Italian government has launched a €15 million (Ugx57.3 billion) project called “Advancing Climate-Resilience and Transformation in African Coffee” (ACT Coffee). This initiative will benefit Uganda, along with other coffee-growing countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi. The project will focus on improving coffee production, productivity, and sustainability.
As part of this project, a new Coffee Training Centre (CTC) will be set up on 166 hectares of land in Ntinda, Nakawa Division. This will be Uganda’s first CTC, and it will feature a coffee laboratory and a modern coffee shop.
The centre will focus on training local cooperatives and private producers, helping them improve the quality of their coffee, and providing services such as coffee roasting. It will also promote the use of high-yielding coffee seedlings, fertiliser, irrigation, and value addition.
State Minister for Agriculture, Bwino Kyakulaga, highlighted that the roasting facility will allow local cooperatives to start their own coffee roasting businesses. “This facility will provide roasting services to local cooperatives and help foster the establishment of coffee start-ups,” he said.
Uganda’s coffee sector faces challenges such as the harmful effects of aflatoxins, a toxin produced by fungi, which has caused significant economic losses in some regions. Kyakulaga pointed out that the problem is increasing due to climate change and urged that steps be taken to reduce its impact.
As the project progresses, it is hoped that it will improve the livelihoods of local coffee producers and boost Uganda’s coffee industry, making it more competitive in the global market. As they say, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” With this new initiative, Uganda is stepping forward toward a brighter future for its coffee farmers. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
