Authorities in Ibanda District have launched a sweeping crackdown on farmers who continue to flout agreed coffee processing guidelines, seizing and dumping sacks of wet, unripe, and rotten coffee in a bid to protect the crop’s quality and market value.
The operation, conducted today across Rwenkobwa Sub-county, Kijongo Sub County, and Ishongororo Town Council, follows a stakeholder meeting held last week at the district headquarters where local officials and farmers committed to ending the practice of mixing wet and dry beans.
Despite the agreement, some farmers have persisted in harvesting unripe cherries and blending beans at different stages of drying—an act that significantly devalues the coffee on global markets.
Ibanda District Agriculture Officer Silver Nkwasibwe expressed disappointment in the defiance.
“We were shocked to find some farmers mixing semi-dry coffee with wet coffee,” he said.
“This not only compromises the quality but also affects the prices our farmers can fetch on the international market.”
Enforcement was spearheaded by Captain Innocent Byaruhanga, the Operation Wealth Creation Officer for Ibanda North, who said farmers risk facing legal consequences if they continue to disregard proper harvesting standards.
“We found coffee that was clearly not ready for harvest. This is unacceptable,” said Captain Byaruhanga. “We urge all farmers to stop this vice immediately. Continued defiance could lead to imprisonment.”
Officials confiscated and discarded the substandard coffee near swamps and along River Rwambu to prevent it from being processed or reaching buyers.
The symbolic act was meant to send a clear message that substandard practices would no longer be tolerated.
The district, known for its fertile highlands and growing role in Uganda’s coffee sector, has been under pressure to uphold export standards as demand for Ugandan arabica and robusta grows.
Authorities now hope the crackdown will push farmers to prioritise quality and protect Ibanda’s reputation in both local and international markets.
“The value of our coffee is determined at the farm,” Nkwasibwe said. “If we compromise quality, we lose out as a district, and our farmers continue earning less than they deserve.”
The operation is expected to expand to other sub-counties in the coming days as officials intensify efforts to promote responsible farming across Ibanda.