Packed coffee bags for export

UCDA: Museveni, Mengo face off

by · The Observer

In a recent meeting with National Resistance Movement (NRM) MPs, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni signalled his firm readiness to confront those opposing the proposed restructuring of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA).

Speaking from his Kisozi farm at the weekend, Museveni emphasized the govern- ment’s commitment to economic transformation and poverty eradication, underscoring that any interference with these objectives would be met with strong opposition.

Museveni presented the rationale for UCDA’s integration into the ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), contending that consolidating resources under core ministries would reduce inefficiencies and ensure a more strategic allocation of government funding. He argued that the current approach of maintaining separate agencies such as UCDA requires resources that could be better managed through a streamlined ministerial structure, ultimately benefiting broader development goals.

However, the katikkiro of Buganda, Charles Peter Mayiga, voiced opposition to the proposed UCDA restructuring, urging the government to maintain its autonomy. Speaking to journalists on Monday, Mayiga highlighted the long-standing collaboration between Buganda kingdom and UCDA, marked by a shared memorandum of understanding aimed at increasing Uganda’s coffee export capacity to 20 million bags.

“UCDA gave us 10 million seedlings, which we distributed to farmers across Buganda,” the katikkiro explained, adding that UCDA’s specialized extension workers have been pivotal in reaching rural farmers through the kingdom’s ‘Emwanyi Terimba’ campaign.

This campaign, designed to improve both the quality of crops in the field and post-harvest processes, has benefited from technical support and training from UCDA. Mayiga emphasized that UCDA’s role in directly engaging farmers and training local extension workers has fostered strong community connections, ensuring that coffee quality and yield meet international standards.

He cautioned that folding UCDA into MAAIF could disrupt these established networks and hamper ongoing efforts to elevate Uganda’s coffee sector on the global stage.

The contrasting positions highlight an emerging debate over how best to support Uganda’s coffee industry—a critical export sector— with the government advocating for streamlined operations, while Buganda kingdom and other stakeholders warn against altering a system that has bolstered local farming communities.

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