At least 8,000 coffee farmers in the West Nile sub-region are expected to reap carbon farming.
Under the new initiative, smallholder farmers will be supported to embrace coffee agro-forestry, by planting trees that have synergy with coffee within their gardens which will help in absorbing carbon from the atmosphere.
Christopher Amodo, the project officer for Solidaridad Uganda, the implementing partner of the project says the amount of carbon stored by the trees will be measured, thereby granting them access to carbon credit markets for the coffee farmers.
The four-year project which is been funded by Dutch Postcode Lottery’s Dream Fund investment will be implemented by Solidaridad, an international civil society organization in the districts of Nebbi, Zombo, and Arua in West Nile.
John Onegi, a farmer in Padea Olyeku, Jangokoro sub-county in Zombo district says the biggest problem they have been facing with coffee is the ever-fluctuating price that has discouraged many farmers. According to Onegi, this initiative will enhance their livelihood.
“This is a great initiative that will help to supplement our income. We used to earn money only from selling our cherries which was little”, he said.
Emilio Oryem, another coffee farmer in Abanga Sub-county commended the initiative noting that if implemented, it will not only benefit the farmers alone but the entire region in terms of reversing the effects of climate change.
“Nowadays, we experience erratic rains with are insufficient for farming. By planning trees in our coffee garden, the entire community will also benefit”, he noted.
Similarly, Alfred Okuonzi, the LCV Chairperson Arua District notes that climate change has had a devastating impact on the daily lives of the locals. He says growing trees not only bring benefits to farmers but also to the crops and the soil.
Coffee is one of Uganda’s major cash crops. According to June 2022 statistics from Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), coffee exports for the financial year 2021/2022 totaled 6.26 million bags compared to 6.08 million bags the previous year.
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