BUNYORO, UGANDA: Ministry of Agriculture through the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) has launched their campaign of supplying fertilizers to coffee farmers in Bunyoro region with an aim of improving coffee production.
The campaign was launched on Wednesday afternoon by the state Minister for animal husbandry Lieutenant Col. Bright Rwamirama in Bulemwa cell Hoima West Division in Hoima city.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Emmanuel Byemuremwe the Managing Director of UCDA says this campaign of giving out fertilizers to farmers is aimed at the grown-up coffee is recovered.
“Pruning of coffee branches and grown-up coffee is aimed at improving the output, and when you add fertilizers to the pruned coffee, your harvest is tripled”. Byemuremwe said.
According to Byemuremwe, the Albertine Region has over 2200000 coffee trees but most of them are grown up and no longer produce quality coffee.
“Through this campaign, the UCDA is to give 67000 kilograms of fertilizer Worth 8.5 billion shillings and will be given to only registered farmers who are about 45000 farmers, therefore, am advising coffee farmers to welcome this initiative so as to meet the demand of existing markets in the USA, UK, Australia among others”. Byemuremwe said.
While launching the campaign, Minister Rwamirama said Uganda is focusing on increasing coffee production from 8000 tones to 9000 tones.
“This campaign is supported by the government of Uganda and therefore am requesting farmers to be active participants through adopting the newly introduced modern methods of farming, and seeking advice from leaf technicians”. Rwamirama said.
The minister also urged leaf technicians to put much effort in their work through inspection of all farmers and give them advice where necessary.
Isaiah Bingi the Kyabigambire Subcounty Coffee farmers Chairperson thanked the government for giving them support with fertilizers.
“Our main challenge is pests and diseases which is rampant in various coffee plantations in the area and also the scarcity of leaf technicians is hindering our activity”. Bingi said.
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