Building new market linkages for Ugandan Coffee: Canada welcomes the unique aroma of Coffee from the Pearl of Africa at the 2025 Coffee Association of Canada Conference.

https://x.com/MAAIF_Uganda/status/1986137812299608505?t=OZFQrf1oZKbiSMcOwvmVyw&s=19

Uganda has achieved the highest coffee export levels in its history, marking a new milestone in the nation’s agricultural and economic growth.

According to new figures from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, the country exported a record 8.2 million 60-kilogram bags of coffee in the past year, earning US$ 2.3 billion (UGX 8.1 trillion) a 64% increase in value and 30% rise in volume compared to the previous year.

The record performance firmly establishes Uganda as Africa’s number one coffee exporter, with 844,949 bags worth US$ 218.6 million shipped in September alone a 56% increase in quantity and 48% rise in value year-on-year.

Building on this global success, Uganda is now taking its story of growth, sustainability, and adventure to the Swiss International Holiday Expo (SIHE) 2025 in Lugano, Switzerland, running from October 31 to November 2, 2025.

Uganda’s participation its first at Switzerland’s premier tourism and lifestyle exhibition is being coordinated by the Permanent Mission of Uganda to the United Nations in Geneva, in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), and the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA).

The country’s showcase, themed “From Bean to Beauty: Experience Uganda,” celebrates the harmony between Uganda’s coffee heritage, cultural richness, and adventure tourism.

“Switzerland is one of the world’s leading coffee trading and consumption markets,” said Ambassador Marcel Tibaleka, Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva.

You can read more......https://ecomediaug.com/uganda-sets-historic-coffee-export-record-showcases-bean-to-beauty-experience-at-swiss-international-holiday-expo/

Top-quality chocolate from Uganda is a hit in Paris!
Five Ugandan brands — Equator Chocolate, Nile Chocolate, Artisans Farm Africa, CocoMata and HAST Manufacturers are showcasing their creations Oct 29 – Nov 2 at Salon du Chocolat 2025, attracting strong interest from buyers.

Coffee excellence: Uganda makes historical leap at 2025 World Barista Championship. 
The Pearl of Africa has climbed to 4th position at the World Barista Championship courtesy of outstanding performance by our very own Ibrahim Kiganda in Milan, Italy.

Ibrahim is representing Uganda, having won the national championship with his team from Mountain Harvest.

The World Barista Championship (WBC) is a flagship competition that celebrates the artistry of coffee excellence and significantly elevates the barista profession on a global scale. Each year, more than 50 talented champions from around the globe engage in this prestigious competition, where they meticulously craft four espressos, four milk-based drinks, and four unique signature beverages during highly time-sensitive 15-minute performances.

Uganda's participation in the competition was facilitated by Government through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries.

Rankings by category and round for the 2025 World Barista Championship are available in real-time via the link below:
https://lnkd.in/d5fbHhnn

A boost for agricultural productivity in Uganda: Early last Month, MAAIF Permanent Secretary Maj. Gen. David Kasura-Kyomukama represented sector leadership in signing a landmark agreement with Itracom Fertilizers, for the establishment of an organic fertilizer factory in Kampiringisa with production capacity of 250,000 metric tons per year.

The signing ceremony was hosted by the Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja in Kampala.

Itracom Fertilizers Limited was represented by Mr. Adrian Ntigacika who applauded Government under the leadership of H.E President Yoweri Museveni for the collaboration.

The ceremony was also attended by representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MOFPED), Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD), and Ministry of Water and Environment (MOWE).

The new factory, to be constructed on 133 acres of land provided by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MOGLSD) in Kampiringisa, will produce organic fertilizer using cow dung and additional minerals. With an investment of US$180 million, Intracom Fertilizer Uganda aims to complete the project within 18 months. The facility will have a production capacity of 250,000 metric tons annually, with an offtake agreement guaranteeing purchase, provided the fertilizer is manufactured in Uganda.

The Permanent Secretary of MAAIF Maj. Gen. David Kasura-Kyomukama emphasized the critical needs of Uganda’s agricultural sector, including improved soil fertility, irrigation for de-risking agriculture, mechanization, appropriate genetics for seeds and livestock, and mindset shift through awareness creation. The establishment of this factory directly addresses the non-negotiable need for quality fertilizer inputs to boost agricultural productivity.

International Coffee Day: Busoga successfully hosted 2025 edition as the EUDR farmer registration reaches 1.6 million, Partners join hands to mobilize US$ 15 million for Coffee value chain development in the sub-region by 2027.

In Uganda, International Coffee Day activities are hosted by regions on a rotational basis to address local issues, celebrate progress, and highlight best practices. Events for 2025 were hosted at the Jinja Agricultural Show Grounds and presided over by Hon. Fred Bwino Kyakulaga the Minister of State for Agriculture.

In his remarks, Hon. Bwino reiterated the value of Coffee as a priority crop.

"Coffee is a cherished beverage both locally and globally. The global coffee market is valued at about US $465 billion, making it the second largest revenue earner worldwide after oil," he noted.

As highlighted by Hon. Bwino, Ugandan Coffee generated US $2 billion (UGX 8 trillion) from the export of 7.8 million 60kg bags in financial year 2024/25, an increase from 6.1 million bags valued at US $1.1 billion (UGX 4 trillion) in 2023/24.

Hon. Bwino also joined Coffee farmer group representatives in a session that featured songs that mobilize masses to grow Coffee, a crop that accounts for 20.8% of Uganda's exports (by FY 2024/25 records) and 15% of total exports in the last 10 years.

Developing the sector, together:

During the climax event, partner institutions and organizations were submitted commitment to further the progress achieved by Uganda.

1."Coffee export earnings have soared to an unprecedented high of US$ 2.2 billion in the last financial year," - Dr. Gerald Kyaalo, the MAAIF Commissioner for Coffee Development who represented MAAIF Permanent Secretary Maj. Gen. (Rtd) David Kasura-Kyomukama.

2."We are proud to be a part of Uganda’s Coffee sub-sector journey where we found ready partners in Government and the private sector to drive a number of interventions, including EUDR compliance. So far Uganda has registered 1.6 million farmers," Moses Nyabila, aBi.

3."We commend Government for the prioritization of Coffee sub-sector financing, promotion of Coffee research, the smooth transition of UCDA into the Department of Coffee Development under MAAIF, and the sustained support towards Coffee value addition," Mr. Robert Byaruhanga, the UCFA President.

As highlighted by Bwino, strategic investment in the Coffee sub-sector has seen Uganda move to 6th position among Coffee-producing countries globally and the second in Africa. Currently, the coffee industry supports over 12.5 million people across the value chain.

The 2025 International Coffee Day events for Uganda were guided by the theme, "Exploring Coffee Value Chain Opportunities in Busoga Sub-region" and put together partners led by MAAIF, aBi Development, the Uganda Coffee Farmers Alliance, ETG, MJ Nutrition, Olam Food Ingredients and Rainforest Alliance.

Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) in partnership with aBi, met and updated coffee value chain actors on Wednesday 21st August 2024 on ongoing efforts to comply with the European Union Regulation for Deforestation-free Products (EUDR).

The EUDR aims to ensure supply chains remain free from products that cause deforestation or forest degradation. The regulation will be implemented retrospectively and commodities like coffee, cocoa, cattle, palm oil, soy, timber and rubber as well as derived products (such as beef, furniture, or chocolate) that were planted on deforested land from 2021 will not have access to the EU market.

“The regulation requires that exporters of commodities such as coffee, cocoa, and their derivatives submit specific documents to export to the EU market. Coffee planted on deforested land after December 2020 will not access the EU market,” Dr. Gerald Kyalo, Director Development Services, UCDA, noted.
To beat the December 2024 deadline, UCDA is working with various partners and stakeholders including International Trade Centre (ITC), aBi Development, Uganda Coffee Federation, Café Africa, and UNDP, as well as exporters, traders, farmers, and Government ministries and agencies to ensure industrywide EUDR compliance.

“We commend the partners who have committed time and funds towards the design and implementation of the National Action Plan for compliance with the EUDR and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D). This plan was developed through a collaborative effort that involved the private sector, public institutions, and civil society organisations. We appreciate the members of the task force co-chaired by UCDA which has spearheaded this initiative,” Dr. Kyalo added.

Since the plan was validated in March this year, several other meetings have been held, including a stakeholder meeting to mobilise funding to implement it. The first support came from the Government of Uganda allocation of UGX 13.9 billion, in the 2024/25 budget, to establish the National Traceability System.

Additional funding from aBi and the UNDP will focus on setting up a coordination unit to manage the EUDR compliance process, implementation of a stakeholders’ awareness campaign, and farmer registration.

According to Moses Nyabila, CEO of aBi Development Ltd, the organisation has allocated UGX 16 billion to the coffee sub-sector for EUDR compliance activities.

“Our target is to have 1 million farmers registered and geo-located by the end of the year. We want to ensure that farmers continue to trade and the quality of the coffee reflects in the price they get from buyers,” Nyabila said.

During the meeting, UCDA congratulated all the stakeholders on the excellent export performance in July 2024. Coffee exports in July 2024 amounted to 821,593 60kg bags worth US$ 210.48 million. This is the highest export figure in Uganda’s history.

Coffee remains one of the leading foreign exchange earners, and exports for the last twelve months (August 2023-July 2024) totaled 6.3 million 60kg bags worth US$ 1.25 billion.

Coffee roasters under their umbrella association, Uganda Coffee Roasters Association (UCRA), have pledged to reshape the Uganda industry by promoting the value addition agenda and driving up domestic coffee consumption. The commitment came at a meeting that members of UCRA held to usher in new leadership at the Uganda Small Scale Industries Association offices in Lugogo.

Martha Wandera, Board Secretary of UCRA and a member on the Uganda Coffee Development Authority Board representing roasters noted that Ugandans need to consume the coffee they grow if the country is to reap maximum returns from coffee.

“We need to take a leaf from Ethiopia who are the top coffee producers in Africa and consume about half of what they produce. What this means is that all this money [from domestic coffee consumption] goes back to their economy,” Ms. Wandera said.

Ms. Wandera added that coffee roasters play a vital role in value addition and if they are to grow the industry, they need to come together and work towards a common goal.
“As roasters, we need to speak with one voice to be able to influence policy, lobby government for resources and grow Uganda’s market share of roasted coffee at both local and international level,” Ms. Wandera said.

The outgoing UCRA Chairperson, Hajj Abasi Kazibwe Musisi popularly known as Nguvu and a founding Member of the association expressed delight at the growth of the association.

“UCRA was founded way back in 2002 with just five members and none of us could have imagined the journey that lay ahead. Our vision then was to bring all coffee roasters together under one umbrella to lobby government and build the coffee industry together,” Hajj Musisi said.

He acknowledged that the old leadership faced numerous challenges and admitted that several setbacks had hindered their activity and engagement. However, Hajj Musisi emphasized that with new leadership, formal registration of the association, and the opening up of membership, a new chapter of growth is beginning for the association.

“The journey began with constituting ourselves into a proper Board. We appointed Ms. Martha Wandera as our Board Secretary and Mr. Tonny Bocana as the Executive Director to enable us complete the assignment. I am therefore very happy to officially announce that UCRA has opened its doors to new members,” Hajj Musisi said as he welcomed both seasoned roasters and newcomers to join the roasters association.

“To the young roasters who have chosen to join us on this journey, I extend my heartfelt gratitude. Your decision to align with UCRA speaks volumes about your commitment to the coffee roasting industry and your belief in the power of working together. As we embark on this new phase together, let us uphold the values of unity, respect, internal democracy, and accountability within our Association,” he noted.

UCRA held its Annual General Meeting on 20th June 2024 and elected the following new office bearers. The officials will serve for a period of one year.

Chairman: Dick Wadada
Vice Chair: Martha Nalubega Wandera
Secretary: Omulangira Mathias Mulumba Suuna
Treasurer: Meddie Ziwa
Youth Rep: Innocent Magezi
Women Rep: Annet Nyakaisiki
International Trade Rep: Martin Nango

In his remarks to members, the Chairman elect UCRA, Dick Wadada, MD DICANA coffee thanked the outgoing committee for their commitment and service to the coffee fraternity and promised that the new team would build on their achievements.

Mr. Wadada emphasized that the committee, during its tenure of office would focus on strengthening areas where the coffee fraternity has been weak such as marketing Uganda’s roasted coffee in international markets and promotion of domestic coffee consumption.

“Uganda is not very visible on the international coffee market and yet we need to be there. Our team will work towards this goal,” Wadada noted.

He also urged farmers to harvest red ripe cherries so as to promote quality coffee and its products. He pointed out that coffee quality starts at the farm and as roasters, to produce high quality coffee, they need to work closely with the farmers to ensure quality from the farm to the cup.

A new state–of-the-art coffee factory in Luweero is set to change the fortunes of farmers, improve coffee quality and drive up value addition.

The factory located in Wobulenzi along the Kampala-Gulu Road was constructed by the Uganda Coffee Farmers Alliance (UCFA) with support from the European Union under the European Union-East African Community Market Access Upgrade Programme (EU-EAC MARKUP).

With a processing capacity of 50 metric tonnes of coffee daily, the factoryserves 24 Cooperatives in Luweero, Nakaseke, Nakasongola and Kayunga and benefits 60,000 households.

According to Tony Mugoya, the Executive Director of UCFA, Luweero grows a lot of Robusta coffee yet farmers have been faced with challenges of post-harvest handling and lack of facilities to process the coffee.

Due to the lack of processing facilities in the area, farmers were forced to sell cherries or kiboko to middlemen which earned them low prices for their coffee.

Limited awareness about coffee quality parameters and little knowledge of the benefits of proper coffee handling in regards to the final prices offered by buyers was a big drawback to farmer incomes.

Mugoya says that with the establishment of a factory in the area, and continuous training of farmers on coffee quality, transformation will follow. He is confident that the farmers will earn more since the factory will help them overcome the majority of the challenges they faced in the past.

“Farmers can now dry their coffee to the right moisture content, bring it to the factory for hulling, bulk it and export it directly to buyers,” said Mugoya.

He added that UCFA has a financing programme that extends credit to farmers who are members of the cooperative at affordable interest rates.

According to Mugoya, access to finance is one of the hindrances in the production of quality coffee since some farmers are forced to harvest and sell unripe cherries to meet household demands.

Mugoya made the remarks during a courtesy visit by officials from the European Union Delegation in Uganda led by Sanne Willems, Head of Sustainable Development. The team also comprised UCDA staff. The visit by the EU was part of activities to assess the achievements of the EU- EAC MARKUP.

Mugoya thanked the EU for the support extended to UCFA which enabled them set up the modern coffee factory in the region. UCFA has a similar plant set up in Mityana also funded by the EU.

The delegates inspected the various sections of the factory and the installed equipment such as the hullers, gravity separator, dryer, husk chamber, coffee laboratory, warehouse among others.

UCFA has also set up a coffee laboratory. Coffee from the cooperatives is roasted, cupped, and profiled before export to match the unique demands of coffee buyers. This level of value addition has enabled farmers to earn more. The lab also serves as a skilling center for youth.

The team visited Kyalugondo Farmer’s Cooperative Society. According to the Chairperson of Kyalugondo Farmers’ Cooperative Society, the newly constructed factory is a critical investment in the area and will transform the livelihoods of the coffee farmers. Kyalugondo is one of the 112 cooperatives that make up UCFA.

A meeting with the cooperative’s leaders provided insight into the impact of value addition at the farm level. The cooperative chairperson introduced the 24 cooperatives under his leadership, illustrating how enhancing coffee quality through better drying practices and expert agronomy had transformed farmers’ lives, increased production and improved market access.

The EU team also visited the UCFA coffee laboratory and cupped some of the Robusta coffees produced by the different cooperatives. According to Mugoya, UCFA has emphasized quality throughout the value chain which will enable farmers earn higher prices/ premiums from the coffee. Cupping coffees at the factory premises is one of the ways to ensure quality before coffee is exported.

The factory brings value addition closer to farmers. It is a one-stop processing center for export-ready coffee. It has a huller, cleaners, graders, colour sorters, gravity separators, a dryer, and warehouses. It is the first in the region with this level of equipment.

About EU-EAC MARKUP

The European Union-East African Community Market Access Upgrade Programme (EU-EAC MARKUP) was an initiative of the EAC Partner States funded by the EU that aimed at addressing both supply side and market access constraints of some of the key export-oriented sectors, with particular focus on exports to the EU and ACP markets. In Uganda, the programme focused on two commodities namely coffee and cocoa.

The general objective of the Project was to contribute to the economic development of Uganda by increasing the value of coffee and cocoa exports to the EU.

Specifically, the project aimed to enhance market access to EU and the East African region by supporting private operators in the coffee and cocoa value chains to improve quality and quantity of the produce and retain premium prices for the same through niche markets. The implementing period for MARKUP was 2018 to 2021.

In Uganda, MARKUP supported six companies, including Uganda Coffee Farmers Alliance (UCFA) through a Matching Grant Scheme. The other companies that benefited from the matching grant scheme were Rubanga Cooperative Union, Ainea and Sons Company Ltd (Cocoa), UGACOF Ltd, New Bukumbi Coffee Processors Limited, and Outspan Agric. Ltd (Cocoa).

The matching grant scheme targeted small and medium enterprises in the coffee and cocoa subsectors to boost production, reduce harvest and post-harvest losses while allowing for increased market access and visibility for the products on the European Union and East African Community markets.

The era of paper based procedures and back and forth movement is out as coffee exporters and value chain actors get enrolled on the Uganda Electronic Single Window.

By the end of July, all coffee export processes will be digital. Exporters will apply for export licenses, contract registrations, pre-shipment inspection requests, loading inspection requests, and CESS payment online, eliminating any delays for export companies.

To enable a smooth transition for exporters to enroll onto the Uganda Electronic Single Window, Coffee Production and Development Department (MAAIF) in partnership with Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) trained coffee exporters over three weeks at the CPDD Boardroom at Coffee House.

The training was open to all coffee exporters.

According to Mr. Nicholas Ssesinde, the Manager Information Systems at CPDD, the system will simplify the export process and save time since exporters do not need to physically come to CPDD to deliver export documents as has been the practice.

The system is simple to use and everything can be handled by a click on a computer. Exporters will upload all the necessary export documents online. The documents will then be verified by CPDD staff who will provide immediate feedback.

“Imagine, in the past, some exporters had to travel long distances to submit export documents to CPDD and in case the documents had issues, the exporter had to travel back. This will be no more. The system eliminates back and forth processes which are a cost to export companies and hindrances to trade,” says Mr. Ssesinde.

Rogers Wasibi, General Manager Mt. Elgon Coffee and Honey Cooperative who traveled from Mbale to attend the training said that the system is a welcome initiative that will ease the way they do business.

“As a newly registered coffee export company, we are glad that this system has come at such a time. We have been having challenges of travelling to Kampala every time we need to conduct business with CPDD. This simplifies the processes,” Wasibi noted.

Uganda’s coffee exports have risen significantly. Uganda’s coffee exports have risen significantly hitting 6.13 million bags worth US$ 1.14 billion for the twelve months (July 2023-June 2024). The growth in exports requires an efficient system that can handle the export demands.

The UESW is a trade facilitation initiative that enables coffee exporters and value chain actors to submit regulatory documents such as contracts, clearance certificates and licenses online. It enhances efficiency and reduces the time taken to clear coffee by enhancing the sharing and exchange of information between private sector stakeholders and CPDD. The system will operate 24/7 providing exporters a seamless service.

The training targeted all coffee exporters and the system once rolled out will enhance efficiency and reduce the time taken to clear coffee.