Govt rolls out 880,000 coffee seedlings to boost incomes in Kitgum

Kitgum, Uganda | URN | The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries has launched the distribution of Robusta coffee seedlings worth 1.76 billion Shillings in Kitgum District, in a major push to scale up coffee production across Northern Uganda.

Julius Twiine, the officer in charge of Mid-Northern Uganda at the ministry, said the distribution marks the culmination of months of farmer training aimed at revitalizing coffee farming in the region.

According to Twiine, 450,000 seedlings have been allocated to the Diocese of Kitgum, while 430,000 seedlings have been given to Kitgum District Local Government, bringing the total to 880,000 seedlings to be distributed by the end of the exercise.

“We have trained farmers because coffee is a new crop to most households in Northern Uganda. The focus has been on climate-smart agronomic practices to ensure survivability, especially during the long dry season from November to March,” Twiine said.

He added that at least 30,000 farmers in the East Acholi sub-region have so far been trained under the program. Extension workers were first trained as trainers before passing on the knowledge to farmers at the community level.

Twiine said the initiative is being implemented in partnership with faith-based and cultural institutions to strengthen farmer mobilization and adoption of coffee farming. Key partners include the Diocese of Northern Uganda, Diocese of West Lango, and the Operation Wealth Creation program.

He emphasized that coffee has been identified as a reliable permanent cash crop capable of transforming household incomes in Northern Uganda, where many families lack stable long-term income sources.

“One tree can earn a farmer between 30,000 and 35,000 Shillings annually if well managed. With about 450 trees per acre, a farmer can earn up to 15 million Shillings per year, and even 20 million Shillings if intercropped with bananas,” Twiine said.

The distribution of seedlings is ongoing across several districts in the Acholi sub-region. Lamwo District is expected to receive about 200,000 seedlings, while Pader and Agago districts are each projected to receive about 400,000 seedlings.

Uganda currently exports about 7.8 million bags of coffee annually out of total production of 9.3 million bags, earning approximately 2.2 billion dollars, according to ministry data. Twiine noted that more than 70 percent of these earnings go directly to farmers, underlining the crop’s potential to improve rural livelihoods.

Coffee plants typically begin producing their first harvest after about two and a half years. Officials plan to conduct crop studies in the coming years to assess production levels in Northern Uganda.

The coffee expansion drive is part of a broader national program aimed at increasing coffee production and promoting permanent cash crops in the region, with the goal of boosting household incomes, strengthening local economies, and improving access to education and other social services.

Denis Komakech Mageno, the Head of Laity at Kitgum Diocese, said the church requested the ministry to supply seedlings for its congregants due to rising poverty levels linked to low returns from traditional crops.

Mageno said the diocese had initially requested 1 million seedlings, but following an assessment by the ministry, it was determined that the diocese currently has the capacity to plant 450,000 seedlings.

He pledged that the diocese will closely monitor beneficiaries to ensure that all seedlings are planted and properly managed to avoid wastage. Uthant Okot, the Kitgum District Agriculture Officer, advised farmers to work closely with sub-county extension workers for guidance on proper planting and management of the coffee seedlings.

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