The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) has intensified efforts to promote coffee growing in Northern Uganda, with 56 farmers in Pader District trained in coffee planting and management.
The training was conducted on Saturday in Gulalela, Bogitiko Sub-county, bringing together farmers from Porogali, Acholibur, Latanya, Bongitiko, Pajule, Lapul and Atanga sub-counties.
According to Nicolas Okino, the Regional Agricultural Officer overseeing Agago, Pader and Abim districts, coffee has been identified as a key enterprise to drive economic transformation in the Acholi sub-region.
“Government has prioritized coffee growing as a strategic intervention to fight poverty in Acholi. Farmers must first receive proper training before seedlings are distributed to ensure high survival rates and improved productivity,” Okino said.
He advised farmers to prepare their gardens early ahead of the coffee seedling distribution scheduled for April, adding that registration of interested farmers is ongoing across the sub-counties.
In addition to coffee seedlings, the government plans to distribute banana suckers and shade tree seedlings, noting that coffee performs better under moderate shade conditions.
Sam Okello, Chairperson of the Gulalela Community Farming Association (GUCOFA), said farmer participation in the training has steadily increased, reflecting growing interest in coffee farming.
“We started with 35 farmers in the first training, 47 in the second, and now 56 in the latest session. This shows that more people are beginning to appreciate coffee as a long-term income-generating crop,” Okello explained.
He said the training focused on practical skills such as proper digging of planting holes, recommended spacing, crop management from early growth to maturity, as well as correct harvesting and drying methods to maintain quality standards.
Okello added that the trained farmers are expected to act as community resource persons by sharing knowledge with others in their villages who were unable to attend.
The group also received guidance on how to care for coffee plants supplied during previous government distributions.
Reflecting on earlier challenges, Okello said last year’s seedling distribution was limited and came during the wrong planting season in August 2025, meaning only four farmers who had prepared their gardens were able to plant.
“With proper timing, adequate training and increased registration, we believe coffee farming will significantly transform household incomes in this area,” he said.
Currently, GUCOFA has registered about 700 members who have applied to receive coffee seedlings. With support from the district production office, the group also received fertilizers last year to enhance productivity.
The initiative forms part of the government’s wider plan to commercialise agriculture and promote sustainable livelihoods across Northern Uganda, positioning coffee as a pathway out of subsistence farming and rural poverty.
