The Coffee yearbook 2014/15
The Coffee yearbook 2014/15
UgandaCoffeeFederation
UgandaCoffeeFederation
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notedwithconcern thatdespite its
engagementwithprivate sector to
produce,multiplyanddistributeover
108.6millioncoffee seedlings, climate
changewas still abigchallenge
to sustainablecoffeeproduction,
threatingan investmentof overUGX
32.6billion shillings.Headded that
thedroughthadaffected the season
inMasakawhichmay result into
stagnatedcoffeevolumesestimated
at 3.5million60kgbagsvaluedatUSD
409million.
ThekeynoteSpeakerMr. Anthony
Kagorobackedupbya seasoned
systemsAgronomist,Dr. PietVan
Astengaveabrief about theglobal
warming trendand suitabilitychanges
indicating thatgenerally the tropics
wouldbecomewetterwhile the sub
tropicsbecomedrier.Headded that
theareasaround theequatorwere
still suitablebut suitabilitydiminished
asyoumoveaway.Henoted that the
future suitabilityof coffeeproduction
will becategorisedas transformative,
systemicand incremental andgave
differentoptionsavailableatplant/
crop level, farm level andcommunity/
landscape level.
Dr. Piet introduced the tree shade
advice toolwhich isbeingdeveloped
by the International Instituteof
TropicalAgriculture (IITA) that canbe
usedby the farmerswhile selecting
the right trees for the farm for instance
which trees togrow if the farmer is
interested in fuel, controllingerosion,
increasingyieldse.t.c.
Theguestof honorH.E. the
ambassadorof theRoyalNorwegian
Embassy inKampala,was represented
byMs. AnnlaugRønnebergMinister
Counsellor. She said that the theme
of theeventwasvery relevant to
discussions that are takingplace
internationally regardingClimate
Changeand that theNorwegian
Governmenthadclearly stated its
commitment to theClimateChange
Agenda that is to reduce thenational
greenhousegasemissionswithat least
40%by2030; shenoted thatNorway
wasamong thefirst countries to tax
CO2emissions, andweredeveloping
new technologies forCarbonCapture
andStorage (CCS) and that theyhad
aholisticapproach thatwouldassist
developingcountries tomitigateand
adapt toclimatechange.
Inaddition to this, she said that
NorwayhadpledgedUSD$258million
to theGreenClimateFund; annually
it investsmore thanUSD$150million
in renewableenergy indeveloping
countries;will allocateUSD375million
annually toend tropical deforestation
and is committed toassisting
developingcountries in reducing
subsidies to fossil fuels.
Sheoutlined thedifferentprojects
that itwasundertaking inUganda
andwithin theRegionandconcluded
by informingparticipants that in
November 2015, theUniversityof
Bergen incollaborationwithMakerere
University, supportedby theEmbassy
will host aclimatechangeconference
titled“Supporting the2015Paris
ClimateConference: ClimateChange
andOpportunities for sustainable
business inEastAfrica”thatwill explore
the role that appropriate technology
canplay inensuringdevelopment
throughclimate sensitivebusiness
opportunities.
Other Speakers included:
Mr. KailashNatanwhogaveanational
andglobal outlookof thecoffee
industry in termsofproduction, prices,
competitionandconsumption.
Professor JuliusZake informed
participants that althoughUganda
soilsused tonaturallyproducegood
output, the soilsarequicklybeing
depletedof nutrients that arebeing
harvestedwith thecropandadvised
the farmers toconsidermanure
or fertiliser application.He further
advised farmers todeviseaffordable
meansof harvestingwater in the rainy
seasonwhichwill beused for irrigation
during thehot seasonadding that they
shouldaimatmaximising incomes
from their farmsand therefore should
consider intercropping their coffee
withbananas, shade treesandother
leguminous crops.
Mr. Abel Kironde fromKimikaFarmers
CompanyandMs. CatherineNakibuule
fromSemi farmergroup inSemuto
counselled the farmersabout the
goodagricultural practicesanduseof
plant shade trees in theirgardens to
reduce the impactof harshclimatic
conditions.
TheSeniorPresidentialAdvisoron
FoodSecurityandChiefCoordinator
OperationWealthCreation,General
SalimSaleh,was representedby
theNRMTreasurer,Hon. Rosemary
Namayanjawho reiterated the
Government commitment tokeep
supporting thecoffee industryas it is
still themajor contributor toUganda’s
economicgrowthand stability. She
added thatOperationWealthCreation
came in tofill thegaps thatwere
existing inagricultural production
andnot to takeover rolesof other
stakeholders.
TheDaywas crownedwhen the
teams thatparticipated in theUganda
CoffeeFootball Cupwereawarded
certificatesofparticipation, the runner
upalso received twogoatswhile the
winnerof the tournament (theYoung
Farmers’CoalitionofUgandaYOFACO)
receivedabull anda trophy.Other
prizes includedcoffee seedlings that
wereprovidedbyUCDAandwouldbe
given to theyouths thatparticipated
in the tournament andare ready to
plant these seedlings.TheFootball Cup
isaimedat interesting theyouth into
coffeeagribusinesses through sports
especially football aswell as reviving
the famous theUgandaCoffee
