The coffee traceability system will see all coffee farmers and players registered/Business Focus photo
Parliament has asked Government to provide Shs32.5Bn to Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) to establish a coffee traceability system that will see all coffee farmers and players in the coffee sector registered.
This is aimed at ensuring that Uganda is compliant with European Union’s requirements for deforestation free products.
“The traceability system will register coffee value chain actors (farmers, nursery operators, processors, roasters and exporters). This System is for compliance with the EUDR regulation for deforestation-free products (EUD Regulation). UCDA requires Ugx 35 billion for establishment of this system but only Shs2.5Bn has been provided in the FY2024/2025 budget, leaving a gap of Shs32.5Bn,” said Janet Grace Okori-Moe in a report of the Committee on Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries on the ministerial policy statement and budget estimates for the Financial Year 2024/25.
Parliament has also urged Government to avail Shs259Bn for the procurement and deployment of 2000 tractors and additional Shs100Bn towards purchase of 4000 power tillers in order to improve the mechanization of Uganda’s agriculture sector.
“The committee observed that in FY 2024/25, the Ministry of Agriculture requires Shs282Bn for the procurement of 2000 4wheel tractors with matching implements (planters, hullers, harrow, trailer, ploughs, rippers, rotavator), as a step towards availing a tractor per sub county, but only Shs23Bn is available in the MTEF. Furthermore, MAAIF requires additional Shs100Bn to procure and distribute 4000 power tillers (Walk behind tractors) of 14HP with assorted implements but no allocation has been made,” noted Okori-Moe.
Parliament has asked Gov’t to avail the Shs758.72Bn required to address the issue of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in order to restore the integrity of the animal sub-sector in the country.
This is after Parliament’s Agriculture Committee observed the persistent outbreaks of pests, vector and diseases especially FMD has been characterized by minimal budgets to address the problem, which explains why many districts have had escalating out breaks of FMD, and PPR, which has affected the animal market both domestically and internationally.
“The Ministry requires Shs769.12Bn for the purchase of FMD vaccines and vaccine cold chain equipment for biannual vaccination of the 44 million animals at risk, but only Shs11Bn has been availed in the budget. Furthermore, Shs15.1Bn is required for the purchase of pesticides, spray pumps and other assorted equipment for control of crop pests and diseases but only Shs1.5 billion has been budgeted for. The Ministry also requires Shs10 billion for the purchase of assorted laboratory reagents, consumables and supplies for control for animal diseases, but only Shs7.52Bn,” said Okori-Moe.
