Uganda is stepping up efforts to transform its coffee sector, with the Ministry of Finance committing increased investment, infrastructure development, and policy backing to the Africa Coffee Park in Ntungamo District.
The government says the facility will serve as a national hub for coffee value addition, industrialization, and agro-tourism, as the country seeks to transition from exporting raw coffee to competing in high-value global markets.
During a site inspection, State Minister for Finance, Henry Musasizi, alongside the Chairperson of Parliament’s Committee on Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Amos Kankunda, toured processing units and reviewed a range of finished coffee products ready for market.
The visit showcased the park’s growing capacity to process raw coffee into export-ready goods, highlighting a practical shift toward value addition and reduced reliance on unprocessed exports.
Musasizi called on stakeholders to move beyond boardroom discussions and physically visit the facility to better appreciate the innovations underway.
“This project will transform the coffee sector in this country, and its biggest emphasis is value addition, which will give us better prices in the global market,” he said.
Despite the progress, the minister acknowledged persistent infrastructure challenges, particularly limited access to water and electricity, which continue to constrain full-scale production. He pledged continued government support to address these gaps and ensure the project reaches its full potential.
“The government has been supporting Inspire Coffee, and there is still need. We will continue supporting this project until it is able to translate its innovations into market-ready products,” he added.
Meanwhile, Ankunda reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to supporting local coffee brands through value addition to achieve long-term sector growth.
“As Parliament, we are looking at how to support local brands so that we achieve the tenfold growth envisioned by the country’s leadership,” he said.
The visit also highlighted Uganda’s strong performance in coffee exports, with earnings rising from 350 million dollars to 2.4 billion dollars over the past decade—an indication of the sector’s vast potential.
The Africa Coffee Park is now being positioned as a future special economic zone, with plans to boost domestic coffee consumption, expand into instant coffee production, and attract tourism and investment through targeted marketing strategies.
Chief Executive Officer Nelson Tugume emphasized the importance of local consumption in strengthening the sector.
“The moment we start drinking our own coffee as Ugandans, we begin to build a presence in the global market. Domestic consumption is key to growing revenue and cash flow,” he said.
