Coffee farmers in Uganda are set to receive a boost in production as stakeholders in the industry proposed a five-year plan for each farmer to produce at least 6kgs of coffee per plant.

This plan seeks to increase the initial coffee production output of 1.5 to 2kgs which has been stagnant for the past three years.

Coffee farmer, Ms Getu Nakimuli, who spoke to Uganda’s The Monitor, said the feat was achievable if farmers continue to utilise the knowledge of good agricultural practice.

“At my coffee garden, the production is at 3kgs and I hope to have a much-improved harvest per plant by the year 2021.

“My earlier problem as a farmer was the poor mindset,” Nakimuli said.

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On his part, coffee farmer at Mulajje Village in Bamunanika Sub-count, Mr Joseph Ssesanga said there was need to find solutions to coffee diseases.

He said, “It is true that the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), Ministry of Agriculture and the Research teams are providing the different coffee varieties that are disease resistant.

“However, we have continued to register cases where these very varieties are getting destroyed by the wilt disease”.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that coffee yields have increased since the incorporation of good farming practices, but stakeholders insist that farmers should be able to produce between 6 to 10kgs of dried coffee beans.

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Speaking at a stakeholder meeting organised by Cafe Africa last weekend, Luweero District Production Manager, Andrew Kidda Makubuya, harped on the need for increased production of coffee, particularly in the district.

He said, “The fact that Luweero District in collaboration with partners within the coffee industry has mentored the Coffee Community Based Facilitators (CCBFs) to monitor and guide the farmers in the coffee production process informs ambitions for good harvests in the future.

We should be able to produce 6kgs of the dried coffee beans per plant from the current 2kgs in the next five years”.