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of coffee varieties which additionally have attributes
that can cope with climatic changes (e.g. drought)
and have good cuppingproperties on themarket.
b)
Coffeenurseryoperators andTissueCulture
Laboratories
(i)
Nursery operators should be incentivized by the
coffee industry to establish nurseries nearer to the
farmers, preferably at parish level to reduce on cost
andmortality duringdistribution.
(ii)
UCDA should draw contracts with nursery operators
to develop confidence in addition to reduction in
payment time to reduce financial constraints currently
faced after delivery.
(iii)
The price of plantingmaterials should be periodically
reviewed by UCDA to take care of inflation in
comparison with propagation costs incurred by
nursery and TC centre operations.
(iv)
Proposed coffee planting material distribution
channel: Tissue culture laboratories should work
in close collaboration with large coffee exporters
managingcommercial nurseries to reducedistribution
costs. This implies that TC laboratories can deliver
plantlets at stages 1 and 2 (3-5months after in vitro
regeneration) to nurseries for further growth before
final delivery to farmers.
(v)
The nursery operators and TC laboratories should
also get involved in developing demand for planting
materials by promoting the technology through
provision of quick and relevant information to
farmers and other stakeholders, and participation in
agricultural shows/fielddays.
(vi)
Nursery operators should be supported by coffee
industry (development partners, private sector and
UCDA) to perfect the cuttings technology through
improvement of technical knowledge and access to
financial resources to establish high standard nursery
structures.
For thisproposeddistributionchannel towork,
the followingassumptions shouldbe taken into
consideration;
·
Tissue culture laboratories should deliver plantlets at
stage1and2 (3 to5monthsafter invitro) tonurseries
near the farmers for further growth anddistribution
·
Tissue culture centre facilities expanded to produce
up to 53million plantlets per year
c)
Coffee farmers
(i)
UCDA should enforce fast delivery of coffee
seedlings to farmers to attain timely planting during
the rainy season to reduce mortality rates after
field establishment. This will be achieved if nursery
operators receive orders early in the season tomake
necessary preparations before final delivery.
(ii)
Village distribution committees could be formedwith
support from local government staff and UCDA field
officers to guide the distribution of plantingmaterials
to overcome wastage especially if planting materials
are given to farmerswho are not prepared to receive
andmanage field establishment activities.
(iii)
Farmers should pay for a good quality planting
materials inorder to institute a cultureof agribusiness
where they have a financial stake in the business.
This will gradually reduce farmers’ reliance on free
plantingmaterials and increase a cultureof good field
management.
(iv)
Farmers should be trained by UCDA, private sector
actors and NGOs on the proper management of
coffee fields with emphasis on the effects of climatic
change and pest and disease control. The training
should be directed towards planting more trees and
use of certified inputs.
