By Nanteza Sarah Kyobe
Africa-Press – Uganda. The effort to promote coffee growing in Karamoja, Acholi, Lango, and West Nile represents a significant advancement; it will allow the inhabitants of these areas to gain more from coffee profits, akin to other subregions such as the Central region (Buganda) and Bugisu. Hats off to the National Coffee Research Institute (NaCORI) for leading this coffee promotion initiative, referred to as WALK (West Nile, Acholi, Lango, and Karamoja).
NaCORI is utilizing art to showcase the economic advantages of coffee farming for farmers in these regions. I find this intriguing because art tends to effectively capture people’s interest. Another strategy promoted by NaCORI is coffee aerobics, where participants engage in 30 minutes of vigorous exercise followed by enjoying coffee.
This initiative not only advocates coffee farming but also stimulates greater coffee consumption, which ultimately boosts the financial returns for farmers involved in the coffee value chain. The coffee promotion initiative in Karamoja, Acholi, Lango, and West Nile are timely, as Uganda has positioned itself as the leading coffee exporter in Africa, outpacing Ethiopia. Moreover, Uganda is the second-largest coffee producer in Africa, following Ethiopia, and ranks eighth globally.
In May 2025, Uganda generated $243 million from exporting 47,606 tons of coffee, surpassing Ethiopia’s 43,481 tons during the same timeframe. Additionally, Uganda exported 793,445 bags of coffee in May 2025. Overall, Uganda’s coffee exports contributed $2.09 billion in 2025. This advancement is attributed to the sector’s impressive growth, fueled by enhanced quality standards and robust government support.
Coffee ranks as the second most traded commodity globally, following oil. In Uganda, it is among the most traded goods due to the presence of a fully operational liberalized marketing system. The business of coffee farming should be guided by standardized production and manufacturing practices that focus on maintaining economic output and product quality.
Coffee is Uganda’s leading cash crop, enhancing both foreign exchange revenues and job opportunities. As a commodity, coffee is vital to Uganda’s economy, contributing between 20% and 30% of foreign exchange earnings, despite the government’s strong efforts to diversify the economy.
Coffee was introduced to Uganda by foreign settlers who migrated to East African countries, primarily bringing Arabica coffee. In 1914, plantations for Arabica coffee were established. As the global coffee boom progressed, Ugandan coffee farmers began to see the profitable prospects of the coffee industry.
The Central region, known as Buganda, is recognized as the foremost coffee producer, especially in the Greater Masaka area, which played a significant role in achieving the remarkable export figure of 594,188 bags of Robusta in April 2025, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry. Meanwhile, the southwest highlands also yielded considerable amounts of Arabica, although this represented a smaller share of the total exports.
Northern Uganda is poised for improvement with the National Coffee Research Institute (NaCORI) coffee promotion initiative since coffee farming has got great benefits. Coffee cultivation greatly benefits farmers by providing a stable income source, stimulating local economies, and enhancing livelihoods. For the nation, coffee generates foreign earnings.
The promotion of coffee farming in northern Uganda by NaCORI is anticipated to lead to increased coffee production, which will generate higher foreign revenue and improve the quality of life for the northern residents.
I would like to conclude with a saying from Buganda: “EMWANYI TELIMBA,” meaning “coffee doesn’t lie” or “coffee is truthful,” a phrase that supports coffee cultivation in Buganda.
The writer works with the Uganda Media Centre.
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