Amolatar, Uganda: Amolatar District leaders have called on farmers to take up coffee farming as a reliable pathway out of poverty, following the government’s delivery of 80,000 clonal Robusta seedlings to households across the district.
The consignment, part of 269,000 seedlings distributed across the Lango Sub-region under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), is valued at UGX 160 million. Each seedling cost Shs 2,000, according to Andrew Okello Awany, the Regional Agricultural Officer overseeing the program.
“The clonal variety of coffee seedlings we distributed is high-yielding and matures in just two years, making it a more economically viable option for farmers,” Okello said. He further urged farmers to consider raising their own seedlings to supplement government supply and “create new streams of income and employment opportunities.”
District Chief Administrative Officer, Paul Samuel Mbiwa, welcomed the initiative, stressing that leaders must rally communities to seize the opportunity despite skepticism about coffee thriving in the region.
“Coffee can thrive in this region if we commit to supporting our growers. It’s time we dispel the myth that coffee can’t grow here. Our farmers deserve the chance to prove otherwise,” Mbiwa said, revealing that while the district had requested 400,000 seedlings, only 80,000 were delivered.
Amolatar Assistant Resident District Commissioner, Boniface Pule, emphasized coffee farming as a central pillar of the government’s four-acre model, describing it as a practical route to household wealth creation. He tasked technical officers to track successful farmers benefiting from government poverty alleviation programs.
“Let us highlight the success stories in our communities. When the president visits, he should see firsthand how these programs are transforming lives,” Pule said.
The seedlings, supplied by Blessed Tree Planters and Agro Distributors, are expected to give Amolatar farmers a fresh start in commercial agriculture.
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