Thousands of farmers in Serere District have received coffee seedlings under a government initiative aimed at promoting commercial agriculture, increasing household incomes, and expanding Uganda’s leading export crop.
Farmers in Serere District have received a major boost after the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries distributed over 50,000 coffee seedlings in a bid to promote commercial farming and improve household incomes.
The initiative, spearheaded by State Minister for Fisheries Helen Adoa, follows a request she made to the ministry after drawing inspiration from Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s continued advocacy for coffee growing as a high-income enterprise.
Adoa said coffee remains Uganda’s leading agricultural export and urged farmers in Serere to embrace the crop alongside traditional enterprises like cassava and bananas.
“Whenever the President speaks about coffee and you don’t take the advice, later you realize you missed a very important opportunity,” she noted.
She revealed that the initial distribution targets selected and trained farmers, with more seedlings expected in subsequent phases. Adoa also advocated for the establishment of large-scale coffee demonstration gardens at Serere Research Station to support learning and exposure for farmers and students.
Technical experts from the ministry advised farmers to grow Robusta coffee, which is better suited to the soils and climatic conditions of the Teso sub-region. Coffee specialist Onyakai Ronald noted that soil tests indicate favorable acidity levels, with farmers encouraged to use organic manure to improve fertility.
John Stephen Ekom, the Resident District Commissioner for Serere, urged beneficiaries to properly plant and manage the seedlings to realize economic benefits.
He emphasized that coffee is a key driver of household income and national revenue.
Local leaders and farmers welcomed the initiative, describing it as a timely intervention in the fight against poverty. Some institutions, including Kateta Hillview Secondary School, have already established demonstration gardens to support practical learning and income generation.
District Agricultural Officer Asakenye Caroline Ikodet encouraged farmers to work closely with extension workers to ensure proper crop management, noting that the region is ready to embrace coffee farming as a new economic backbone.
