The potential of coffee to uplift people out of poverty in Northern Uganda

The potential of coffee to uplift people out of poverty in Northern Uganda

Coffee was introduced in Acholi and Lango sub-regions in mid-Northern Uganda, by 1997, at first through pressure from political leaders, as an alternative perennial crop to the traditional cotton crop. This was an effort to fight poverty levels - aggravated by effects of a prolonged civil war in this sub-region. Cotton and other annual traditional food crops had little effect on Poverty and introducing coffee, as alternative perennial crop was deemed very important to the region. Systematic coffee planting by the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) first as a pilot (around 2001), and subsequently, has had a positive impact in the mid-North sub-region.

To date, 16000 farmers in mid-Northern Uganda have planted 5,441 hectares. The current output in the sub-region is 154 metric tons; with a potential output estimated at 16,323 metric tons at peak and stable production level by 2017. The study identified districts with high potential for coffee production in the sub-region such as; Apac, Lira, Nwoya, and Oyam.

Attached Files

• Version
• File Size 2.65 MB
• Published May 30, 2014