Coffee stakeholders during a sensitization meeting held in Luweero
Farmers and local leaders in Luweero have welcomed the National Coffee Act 2021, describing it as timely.
The Act gives UCDA powers to regulate all on-farm and off-farm activities in the coffee value chain.
The Act repealed the UCDA Act, Cap. 325, which was enacted in 1991 and only covered off-farm activities of marketing and processing, leaving on-farm activities like planting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-harvest handling outside the scope of the law.
On Tuesday, a team from Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) headed by Eunice Kabibi, UCDA’s Legal Manager and Ag. Board Secretary headed to Luweero district to sensitize stakeholders about the Act and how it will benefit them.
While addressing participants at Luweero Diocese Guest House, Mayor John Buwembo commended UCDA for engaging stakeholders about the Act.
“This law is good. It protects the farmer and caters for the market…. I am grateful that this law regulates the whole coffee value chain right from the nursery operator, the farmer up to the consumer,” Buwembo said.
Buwembo appealed for a similar regulation/law in other sub sectors of agriculture.
The singer-cum politician also appealed to farmers to embrace value addition so as to realize better returns from their coffee.
Col. Godfrey Kalyowa, the Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) Coordinator for Katikamu South and Bamunanika Constituency, said that the law will lead to improved quality of coffee produced in Uganda.
Earlier, farmers had raised the issue of theft of coffee from their gardens. They said that the coffee was being stolen by unknown people who end up selling it to buyers of wet coffee.
According to Kalyowa, the law is timely as it will hold dealers of wet coffee accountable for their actions. “Buyers of wet coffee shall not escape the law. We shall also end theft of coffee from farmers gardens. Coffee thieves will go to court,” Kalyowa said.
The Luweero LCV Vice Chairperson, Christine Nakamanya expressed happiness about the law, saying it was long overdue.
“Be agents (of this good law) and scale this message down to the people back at home,” Nakamanya told participants, adding: “Let’s preach this law together with the Parish Development Model so that our people can understand it better.”
Registration of farmers
During the presentation on the law, Edward Lutaakome, the UCDA Regional Manager – Greater Masaka, told participants who included farmers, nursery operators, members of cooperatives and associations, buyers and exporters among others that they are partners, meaning they have to understand each other better.
Lutaakome emphasized two areas which have since drawn contention; farmer registration and licensing.
According to Lutaakome, registration is free, voluntary and comes with a registration number.
“Registration started during the times of Jesus. Even when you go to the hospital to give birth, the child is registered after birth. Who are we not to?” he stressed.
He said the Authority will use the information compiled to facilitate provision of services to farmers and stakeholders along the value chain such as extension, regulation and development. Secondly, Lutakoome said, the data will also be used for budgeting, planning and monitoring of services that are critical to coffee production, productivity, research, marketing and development.
On licensing, Lutakoome said coffee is consumed by human beings and as such, he said there is a need for value chain actors to comply with certain standards.
“The purpose of licensing is to protect the consumer and ensure standards are adhered to,” he said.
Eunice Kabibi, UCDA’s Legal Manager and Ag. Board Secretary further explained the difference between registration and licensing, saying; “Registration is for everyone along the value chain but licensing is for persons involved in coffee for commercial purposes.”
After the engagement, participants said they were satisfied with the presentation and that their earlier fears were cleared.
According to Michael Yiga, a coffee farmer, his fear about registration was due to lack of information but that after the engagement, he was ready to register.
Richard Musisi Lubwama, also a coffee farmer, said information is power because he was ignorant about the law.
“Once a farmer is empowered with knowledge, they act on informed decisions. I thank UCDA for bringing this information to us,” Lubwama said.
Jacob Kitata, a coffee farmer, said that his concern has been about coffee thieves. However, he said that the law was explained to him and how it brings to book the culprits.
