UCDA will register all coffee farmers
On August31, 2021 President Yoweri Museveni assented into law the National Coffee Bill 2021.
The National Coffee Act, 2021 was Gazetted on September 13, 2021. The law has since become controversial, thanks to misinformation. A number of people have not read the Act, with some sharing the contentious clauses which were removed from the Bill before being assented into Law.
Business Focus’ Taddewo William Senyonyi took time to read the Act and summarizes it below.
The Act has repealed the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) Act, Cap. 325, which was enacted in 1991 and only covered off-farm activities of marketing and processing, leaving on-farm activities like planting materials, nurseries, harvesting and post harvesting handling outside the scope of the law.
This Act gives UCDA powers to regulate all on-farm and off-farm activities in the coffee value chain.
According to the Act, UCDA shall also promote good practices in all activities in the coffee value chain.
UCDA is also tasked to promote research along the coffee value chain processes and products related to coffee.
The Law adds that UCDA shall also promote and monitor the marketing of coffee in order to optimize foreign exchange earnings and payments to the farmers.
UCDA shall also promote access to easy and cheap credit for coffee value chain actors.
According to the Act, UCDA board shall have a representative from coffee farmers, coffee roasters, ministry of trade, coffee processors, coffee exporters and the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO). The UCDA Managing Director shall be an ex-officio member on the board.
“The members of the Board, except the Managing Director, shall be appointed by the Minister (Minister in charge of Agriculture),” the law says, adding that the Minister shall in appointing the above board members invite nominations from respective institutions or organizations from whom the appointments shall be made. Board Members except the Managing Director shall hold the office for three years and they are eligible for re-appointment for another one more term. The Board shall among other functions, set targets for the annual performance of UCDA as well as appraise and evaluate the performance of UCDA top management. The remuneration of Board members shall be determined by the Agriculture Minister.
The UCDA Managing Director shall be appointed by the Board.
Registration of farmers
Clause 26 (1) of the Act gives UCDA powers to register all farmers in the coffee sub-sector.
“A person shall be registered as a coffee farmer if he or she is growing coffee at the time of registration,” Clause 26 (2) of the Act reads.
The Act adds that UCDA shall establish and maintain a national coffer register of coffee farmers.
The register shall contain particulars of every coffee farmer including; full name and address, if a farmer is a member of a coffee farmers group or association, the name and address of the association; the owner of the land; the district, sub-county, parish and village in which the coffee farm is located; the acreage of land on which the coffee is grown on the date of its registration; the variety and type of coffee grown and the age and number of coffee trees.
“The Authority, shall on registering a coffee farmer issue the coffee farmer a coffee farmer’s number registration number,” Clause 27 (3) reads.
According to the Act, UCDA shall not charge a fee for the registration of a coffee farmer.
“The Authority shall use the information compiled in the register to facilitate provision of services to coffee farmers individually or through farmers groups,” Clause 27 (4) reads.
The law adds that registration of farmers shall be on a continuous basis.
Nursery Operators
According to the Act, a person who wishes to operate a coffee nursery bed or a coffee seed garden shall apply to UCDA in writing.
“The Authority shall assess the soil type to determine the type and variety of coffee to be planted by the coffee nursery operator or a coffee seed garden operator,” Clause 28 (2) reads.
The Act adds that UCDA shall assess the coffee nursery or coffee seed garden and, if satisfied, issue the coffee nursery operator or a coffee seed garden operator with a certificate to operate a coffee nursery or coffee seed garden. The certificate issued shall be reviewed annually.
According to the Act, a person who wishes to plant coffee shall obtain planting materials from a certified coffee nursery operator or coffee seed garden.
Additionally, UCDA shall register every coffee nursery operator and coffee seed garden operator. UCDA shall also register all coffee farmer organizations and cooperatives.
Registration of coffee value chain actors
Clause 31 (1) of the Act says UCDA shall promote, register and regulate the formation of coffee value chain actors at the various levels of the coffee value chain throughout Uganda.
UCDA shall keep and maintain the national coffee registers of coffee value chain actors; pulpers, coffee buyers, coffee graders, coffee exporters, coffee store operators or warehouse men, processors of coffee of any type and grade, coffee hullers, a register of coffee roasters, coffee shop operators and brewers and a register of factories for instant, granulated, soluble and roasted coffee.
Coffee Auction System
Clause 51 (1) of the Act says UCDA shall establish a coffee auction system. This shall be the alternative method to the day-to-day method of selling coffee.
Offences and Penalties
According to the Act, a person who operates an unregistered coffee nursery or coffee seed garden; sells and distributes substandard and diseased planting materials; harvests or is found in possession of immature cherries or strips a coffee tree; roasts and packages non-coffee materials as coffee and poorly stores wet cherries or heaps coffee leading to mold formation, commits an offence and upon conviction is liable to a fine not exceeding one hundred currency points (Shs2m) or imprisonment not exceeding four years or both.
UCDA shall also confiscate and destroy coffee spread to dry on bare ground.
The Authority shall also confiscate and destroy molded coffee or wet coffee bean with a moisture content not exceeding 14% being held or processed by any person.
Thank you very much for the article. I would like to hear your opinion about the sale by auction method that is introduced in the Act viz a vis the old day to day method.
i also want to know the impact of Rationalizing of UCDA under Ministry of Agriculture on the effectiveness of the new roles assigned to it by this Act.
Thank you.