The Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) has issued new guidelines for coffee farmers and nursery operators aimed at achieving the 20 million bags per year target come 2025.
Below is a statement from government;
Since
FY 2014/15, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF),
through Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), District Local Governments
and Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) has been implementing a coffee replanting
programme. The objective of the programme was to raise, distribute and plant
300 million coffee seedlings per year and thereby contribute to attainment of
20 million bags per year target envisioned in the coffee roadmap recently
launched by H.E the President of Uganda. In the last 4 years, close to 800
million coffee seedlings have been raised and planted by farmers.
Therefore, starting with the second planting season of September-November 2019,
the Ministry will start scaling down the production and distribution of elite Robusta
coffee seedlings to farmers. However, the promotion of multiplication of coffee
wilt disease resistant (CWDR) clonal cuttings through establishment of mother
gardens will continue.
Therefore, I wish to guide the coffee sub-sector as follows:
(1) All coffee nursery operators with elite Robusta coffee seedlings should,
with immediate effect, scale down seedlings production so as not to have any
carry over stock expected to be procured under Government funding after the 2nd
season of 2019 (i.e September-November 2019 planting season).
(2) No certificate will be issued to a new elite Robusta coffee nursery, except
to operators in drought prone districts in Northern Uganda and parts of North
Eastern and Eastern Uganda.
(3) Production of coffee seedlings in the Arabica coffee growing districts, in
limited quantities, shall continue but under strict guidance from UCDA.
(4) Coffee nursery operators who wish to plant their already raised coffee
seedlings in their gardens before the end of the second season of 2019 are free
to do so as long as verification by UCDA and District Local Government
officials confirms the coffee garden`s suitability and preparedness. The
planted seedlings shall be recorded and verified by UCDA, District Local
Governments and OWC.
(5) Propagation of coffee wilt disease resistant plantlets (clonal cuttings),
in Robusta coffee growing areas, shall continue and be scaled up, but under
strict guidance from UCDA.
(6) Only mature and quality coffee seedlings (elite and clonal) which will have
been certified and are available before the end of 2nd planting season of 2019
will be procured by UCDA on credit and shall be paid for in the medium term as
funds become available.
(7) After the 2nd season of 2019, the Government shall redirect the support
towards coffee productivity enhancement programmes such as coffee
rehabilitation (stumping), soil-fertility management, farmer training in good
agronomic practices and provision of water for production.
(8) Farmers in robusta coffee growing areas who may wish to plant the old
clonal coffee lines (A,B,C,D,F and H) may continue to do so at their own cost
but under guidance of NaCORI and UCDA.
(9) Coffee seed gardens shall continue to be verified by NaCORI and UCDA on
behalf of MAAIF and any nursery operator that may wish to privately engage in
elite coffee seedlings production must first get clearance from UCDA.
SIGNED
BY;
Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja (MP)
Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries
