Ibanda District has launched the distribution of 50,000 coffee seedlings to farmers under the Ibanda Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union, in a move aimed at increasing production and improving household incomes.
The seedlings, supplied by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, will benefit 17 cooperative societies across the district.
Speaking during the handover ceremony on Thursday, District Production Officer Peter Bwengye highlighted the importance of coffee to the local economy, noting that the sector supports thousands of households.
“Currently, about 20,800 acres of land in Ibanda are under coffee cultivation, producing approximately 14,381 tonnes annually and generating an estimated Shs178 billion,” Bwengye said. “More than 38,400 households are actively engaged in the coffee value chain, which shows how critical this crop is to our livelihoods.”
He added that the introduction of improved seedlings is expected to boost productivity and enhance the quality of coffee produced in the district.
Ibanda District Chairperson Happy Herbert Mayanja called on more farmers to join the cooperative union to benefit from government agricultural support programs.
“We encourage all coffee farmers who are not yet registered under the Ibanda Coffee Farmers Cooperative Union to do so,” Mayanja said. “This will enable them to access seedlings, training, and other support services aimed at improving production and incomes.”
Local leaders expressed optimism that the initiative will strengthen Ibanda’s position as a leading coffee-producing district while improving the welfare of farming households.
The exercise forms part of ongoing government efforts to promote coffee farming as a key driver of economic development and poverty reduction in rural Uganda.
