T H E C O F F E E Y E A R B O O K
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UgandaCoffee Federation
2 0 M I L L I O N B A G S B Y 2 0 2 0
H
e oversaw thecoffee
policy reforms that
liberalised the industry
before superintendingover
the full privatisation and
centralisationof the coffee
industry in the early 90s.
However, beyondUganda, he
has travelled across theglobe
and served as adelegate
onmost inter-governmental
coffee organisations inAfrica,
US, Europe andAsia.
Memories
In his last media interviews,
Mr. Ngabirano saidhis
profoundmemorieswill, for
a long time, mainly hold onto
the resilience that farmers
have shownduring “hard
timeswhencoffeepriceswere
quite low and thedevastation
of the coffeebywilt disease
was high”.
For years, Uganda has been
Africa’s largest exporter of
thecrop and is only rivalled
by Ethiopia, whichproduces
more in terms of quantity but
exports less.
UnlikeUganda, muchof
Ethiopia’s coffee is consumed
within the country, which
could explain theproduction
verses export situation.
Uganda’s coffee industry,
according toMr. Ngabirano,
has remained on the top even
amiddevastatingdiseases
such aswilt, which has
hada negative impact on
production trends.
Productionhas increased
from twomillionbags in 2005
to 4.1millionbags in2015.
Price instability has alsohad
a knock effect on the industry
with theworst beingbetween
2002 and2004. During the
period, prices fell to$500
(Shs1.6m) per tonne.
The industry has adopted the
use of modern technology
such as tissue culture in
thegeneration of coffee
plantingmaterial. This has
been implemented through
encouraging theprivate
sector that nowhave three
THEENDOFANERA:
NgabiranoLeaves
UCDA
Inhis lastmedia interviews,Mr.
Ngabiranosaidhisprofound
memorieswill, fora long time,
mainlyholdonto theresilience
that farmershaveshown
during “hard timeswhencoffee
priceswerequite lowand the
devastationof thecoffeeby
wiltdiseasewashigh”.
October 2016, wasn’t like any othermonth; it
was amonth that foldedMr. HenryNgabirano’s
long term inpublic service. A term spanning
more than 25 years. Before joiningUganda
CoffeeDevelopment Authority (UCDA), he
workedas aqualitymanager for 10 years at
thedefunct CoffeeMarketingBoard. For years,
Mr. Ngabirano has beenUganda’smain stay
in thecoffee industry andcouldbe one of the
country’s best coffee experts.
