Invest more in Coffee farming to reap big- Kisoro LCV Abel Bizimana says

The Kisoro district LCV chairperson Abel Bizimana has said increased investment in coffee growing in Kisoro district can help increase household incomes and positively contribute to economic success of the region.

The comments were made yesterday during a function at the Kisoro district headquarters where more than 25 Parish Coffee Development Advisors (PCDAs) meant to offer training services to coffee farmers in the district were unveiled.

The Sub Counties set to benefit from the extension services include Murora, Nyabwishenya, Busanza, Nyarubuye and Nyundo.

Bizimana explained that Kisoro coffee has been recognized as one of the best globally. He noted that it has both economic and health benefits.

“Our people often caught up drinking alcoholic substances of unknown origins however a well brewed cup of coffee offers a soothing feeling and energy to perform on given tasks, therefore, we need to encourage our farmers to embrace coffee growing, Bizimana said

Bizimana further described Coffee in Kisoro as low hanging fruit that has never lacked any market alongside other items including Irish potatoes and Beans which are widely sought after in other parts of Uganda.

Uganda Coffee Development Authority Regional Coordinator for Kisoro and Rubanda Rauben Keimusya explained that under, the new Parish Coffee development Model, all districts countrywide involved in Coffee growing will get 25 (PCDAs) to help link farmers with extension workers at Sub County level who in turn will share the information with district authorities, UCDA and Ministry of Agriculture.

Keimusya said one Kilo of Parchment Coffee ranges between UGX 12, 000 to 15,000.

“The program that will begin in January 2022 will assist farmers access better markets so that they get the best prices for their coffee on the market”, Keimusya explained.

Kisoro district currently boasts of over 21 million coffee trees.

Kisoro district Operation Wealth Creation Coordinator, Colonel Deo Kayita thanked President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the NRM Government for introducing the parish model system.

Col. Kayita further said, that the new program will help change negative mindsets towards coffee growing because people will have the opportunity to visit various demonstration farms in the five Sub counties and this in turn will make Kisoro district one of the model districts for coffee farming in the country.

Kisoro Resident District Commissioner Peter Mugisha called on all the coffee farming to practice good farming by terracing their gardens and ensuring that the land is utilized in a pro nature and conservation manner for future generations to come.

Coffee is a major crop in Uganda, employing about 1.7 million smallholder farmers. The country is unique in that it grows the world’s two major commercial coffee species, Robusta and Arabica. Rainfall-sensitive Robusta grows in the lowland regions. Arabica, highly sensitive to temperature, grows in the highlands.