Laura Walusimbi, the Corporate Communications Manager at UCDA and UCDA MD Dr. Emmanuel Iyamulemye pose for a photo with the award
Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) was recognized by the Visionaries of Uganda at the 9th edition of the Awards held on Thursday 2nd December 2021 for its regulatory role in the coffee sub sector and its contribution to the country’s economy.
The winners of the Visionaries of Uganda awards, according to the organisers, are selected by the Ugandan people for their outstanding contribution towards the country’s aspiration for middle-income status and Vision 2040.
Upon winning the award, UCDA took the good news to Twitter, and thanked the coffee stakeholders especially the coffee farmers who are the engine of the Ugandan economy.
The Visionaries of Uganda has organized the annual Visionaries of Uganda Awards Ceremony since 2013.
UCDA’s Key Achievements
UCDA’s award is not surprising considering the achievements the Authority has recorded in recent years.
Under the leadership of Dr. Emmanuel Iyamulemye Niyibigira as Managing Director, UCDA saw the volume of coffee produced increase from 7.75 million 60 kg bags in FY 2019/20 to 8.06 million 60 kg bags in FY 2020/21, an increase of 4%.
This was mainly attributed to newly planted coffee, which started yielding and were supported by favourable weather conditions.
Additionally, Uganda’s coffee exports in August 2021 increased to 700,990 60 kg bags worth US$ 75.09 million, while coffee exports for the 12 months (September 2020-August 2021) amounted to 6,414,696 60-kilo bags worth US$ 607.81 million compared to 5,216,608-kilo bags valued at US$ 502.24 million the previous year (September 2019-August 2020).
“The quantity of coffee exported in August was the highest in a single month surpassing the previous month’s exports, while the total export quantity in 12 months was the highest in 30 years,” UCDA said in its September 2021 report.
As a result of UCDA efforts in recent years, Uganda has climbed to 7th position in the latest global rankings of the top 10 coffee producers in the world.
Further, in August 2021, Uganda overtook Vietnam as the second-largest supplier of coffee to Italy behind Brazil.
According to UCDA Managing Director Iyamulemye, “Uganda’s coffee story is entering an exciting phase. Uganda coffee is much sought after globally because of its quality and unique attributes.”
In 2020, Uganda was ranked 3rd country with the best coffee globally by a group of independent specialists who cupped blind samples from different origins.
In an effort to further boost production, UCDA launched a countrywide campaign to stump old coffee trees and distribute organic fertilizers to farmers using farmer organizations/cooperatives as an entry point
UCDA has also been supplying coffee seedlings to farmers.
Iyamulemye says a total of 51,009,745 coffee seedlings were distributed during the FY 2020/21 of which 15,402,159 seedlings were distributed to Rwenzori region; 7,980,305 seedlings to South Western; 7,042,550 seedlings to Elgon; 900,000 seedlings to Central region; 8,095,000 seedlings to Eastern region and 1,623,748 seedlings to Greater Masaka, 6,293,480 to West Nile, 3,672,503 distributed to Mid-North region.
“Cumulatively, 1,167,508,853 coffee seedlings were generated and distributed between FY 2015/2016 and FY 2020/21,” Iyamulemye says.
In collaboration with the National Coffee Research Institute (NaCORI), UCDA has also supported the completion of the construction of two additional screen houses and renovation of a nursery shade at Bugusege Station for breeding Arabica coffee and completion of the renovation of the tissue culture screen house.
In addition, UCDA has supported the generation of 401,049 KR Robusta rooted cuttings of which 37,392 plantlets were availed to farmers, 51,052 plantlets were weaned off, 70,787 plantlets undergoing hardening, 880 plantlets of KR 1-KR7 and 1,315 of KR8-KR10 planted in a new mother garden at NaCORI, Kituza.
“During the FY 2020/21, UCDA distributed 2,844,622 CWD-R plantlets showing the highest number of distributed plantlets since FY 2016/17,” UCDA says, adding: “Out of the total distribution, 2,127,380 CWD-R plantlets were procured and distributed for establishment of 4 demo gardens (575,000 CWD-R plantlets distributed to Central; 46,310 plantlets distributed to Eastern; 490,550 CWD-R plantlets distributed to Rwenzori; 112,100 plantlets distributed to South Western; 571,055 plantlets distributed to Western and 332,365 plantlets distributed to Greater Masaka); 47,013 CWD-R mother plants were distributed to Nursery operators (56 M and 15 F).”
UCDA has also entered into a formal partnership with religious and cultural institutions to expand the acreage of coffee countrywide.
Consequently, 498,929 CWD-R plantlets were distributed to Religious Institutions (Dioceses, Church Parishes & Archdeaconries out of which 495,429 were for establishment of CWD-R plantations and 3,500 for establishment of 2 mother gardens).
“Overall, an increase in the number of CWD-R plantlets distributed was attributed to the change in UCDA strategy to move away from supply of elite seedlings that were succumbing to Coffee Wilt Disease to CWD-R plantlets with emphasis on propagation at nurseries before reaching the farmers,” Iyamulemye says.
Good achievement.