Minister Bwino (Left) handing over pruning and bow saws to a farmer
Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) on Thursday gave out pruning and bow saws to farmers with the aim of stumping old and unproductive coffee trees.
A study conducted by UCDA in June 2020 established that 53% of the coffee trees in Uganda are aged 8 years and above while about 35% of the coffee trees are aged 3-7 years.
The Report adds that the average productivity of old trees was 1.3 kg per tree for trees of 8-11 years, and 1.0 kg per tree for trees of 12 years and above.
The UCDA Managing Director, Dr. Emmanuel Iyamulemye says “the dominance of old coffee trees implies declining productivity.”
To increase coffee production and productivity, he adds“it is essential to stump the old and unproductive coffee trees and apply fertilizers.”
Against the above background, the Government of Uganda through UCDA embarked on a programme to rehabilitate old and unproductive coffee trees to enhance their production and productivity.
“The pruning saws we are giving out today will support coffee farmers to stump their old and unproductive coffee trees (over 8 years). This programme will be implemented through the Parish Coffee Development Advisors (PCDAs) and Coffee Demonstration Host Farmers in at least 5,500 parishes in Uganda. The intervention is intended to create a multiplier effect in adoption of coffee rehabilitation practices,” Dr. Iyamulemye added.
Handing over the equipment to farmers at UCDA Laboratory in Lugogo, the Minister of State for Agriculture, Fred Bwino Kyakulaga, urged the beneficiaries to put the equipment to its rightful use.
