Masaka, Uganda. The Masaka City Coffee Nursery Operators Association (MACCONA) is protesting the integration of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) into the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries.
This opposition comes in the wake of a resolution made in February 2024 during the NRM Parliamentary caucus at State House Entebbe, where support was pledged for the rationalization of government agencies and public expenditure (RAPEX) through legislative enactment sector by sector.
The farmers, led by their chairperson- Fred Busuulwa, have petitioned President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni expressing deep concerns about the potential negative impact on the quality of coffee in the country due to this mainstreaming process. Despite this resolution, the agitated farmers are advocating for certain agencies, such as UCDA, to be spared from integration.
Below Is The Open Letter To The President
Greetings to you and the entire country from Masaka City Coffee Nursery Operators Association (MACCONA)
Mr. President, we coffee value chain actors in Masaka city of the Greater Masaka sub-region are deeply concerned by the government’s decision to mainstream UCDA into MAAIF which has far-reaching consequences and a negative impact on the coffee industry in Uganda.
Your excellence, on 2nd February 2024, the NRM Parliamentary caucus held a meeting at State House Entebbe and resolved to support the rationalization of Government Agencies and Public Expenditure (RAPEX) through the enactment of legislation in Parliament, sector by sector.
However, we as coffee nursery operators are concerned about mainstreaming of UCDA in the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries for the following reasons:
1) We as coffee nursery operators have received coffee wilt disease resistant (CWDr) clonal cuttings for establishing nurseries from UCDA which the UCDA staff have been following up and monitoring and training the nursery operators on recommended practices to raise good quality seedlings. The UCDA staff have certified nurseries that enable only genuine and high-quality clonal coffee to be available to the farmers.
UCDA has a staff dedicated to each district in the Masaka sub-region who is available for technical advice and guidance to nursery operators and farmers. Therefore, mainstreaming UCDA to MAAIF will affect the availability of the services to the farmers. Currently, there are no MAAIF staff deployed in Masaka to advise farmers on other crops.
2) Coffee quality is a highly specialized area that has been developed over many years of intensive training and certification at the international level. The UCDA coffee laboratory is one of the best four laboratories in the world that CQI internationally recognizes to offer Q Arabica and Q Robusta coffee quality assessment. This expertise is likely to be lost if the functions of UCDA are mainstreamed into MAAIF.
3) UCDA is a one-stop Centre that provides technical support, information on Robusta coffee and quality innovation, coffee quality development, and promotion, a key factor in the global competitiveness of Uganda’s coffee. This key function is likely to be lost if the functions of UCDA are abolished and its functions transferred to MAAIF as proposed in section 37 of the bill (Rationalization of Government Agencies Amendment Bill, 2024)
4) We the value chain actors are proud of the UCDA laboratory being one of the few in the world that is internationally recognized by the Coffee Quality Institute of United States (CQI). This has enabled us to sell good quality coffee at high prices.
5) UCDA has heavily invested in Quality control human resources with Quality Assurance staff who have international accreditation as Q-graders (for Arabica) and R-graders (for Robusta). The accreditation allows the inspection and certification of coffee exports which is recognized by international market standards.
6) The certification makes Uganda coffee competitive in the global market as Quality Assurance staff certify coffee for exports by licensed coffee exporters to international markets making it one of the best Quality Assurance globally
7) The UCDA has a Laboratory in Lugogo which is ISO/IEC 17025:2017 Certified. This modern facility, which was carefully developed and equipped with modern technology, is likely to be lost if UCDA is abolished and its functions transferred to MAAIF which has no quality control mechanisms in place.
8) Parent Ministries (MAAIF in this case) are well known for bureaucracy with a lack of quality control mechanisms. This is most likely to affect coffee quality control which requires high levels of efficiency that have been developed and achieved by UCDA over a long time.
9) As coffee chain operators, UCDA provides us with timely market information and monitoring coffee price changes which enables us to adjust the minimum price on a day-to-day basis to reflect the changes. This has significantly empowered us to produce high-quality coffee at our operation level.
10) UCDA staff inspect the coffee factories, hullers, and stores to ensure that the quality of coffee is maintained. This has helped farmers, especially in cooperatives in Masaka (Kibinge Cooperative Society and Masaka Cooperative Union), to sell good quality coffee at high prices.
This has enabled farmers to get high income from coffee enterprises. Without UCDA this will not be achieved. MAAIF will not be able to retain the experts from UCDA because they will be demotivated (like taking URA staff to the Ministry of Finance)
11) After the changes in the National Coffee Act 2021, global coffee prices changed which enabled farmers to sell their coffee at good prices and avoid exploitation by traders.
12) There is a clique of sycophants within MAAIF that is working tirelessly to collapse the UCDA and mainstream it in the agriculture ministry to siphon all the donor funding and the Non-Tax Revenue that comes to UCDA.
13) UCDA is one of the few Authorities with a regulatory mandate which is self-financed hence self-sustaining. It ably meets its operational costs and contributes to the national coffers as hereunder outlined.
14) UCDA transfers part of the funds it raises to support research at NaCORI. This is not provided for in the MAAIF and it will take long to be realized as there is no comprehensive plan to that effect.
15) Your Excellence after your advice and encouragement to Ugandans to add value to their coffee before exportation which UCDA subsequently promoted through its nationwide Networks and partnerships. Coffee farm coverage has doubled and farming activities by youth have become more visible hence an increase in youth employment and creation of wealth in rural areas which is in line with your manifesto of 2021/2026.
This again has been enabled by the UCDA Centre for Coffee Excellence and the work done by its Regional coffee extension officers (RCEOs) whose expertise is threatened by the abolishment of the Authority.
16) Your Excellence, over the years there has been a false narrative that you intentionally killed the coffee industry in the Buganda region by lowering the coffee prices to demoralize farmers to quit coffee farming so that they become poor and manageable. This has been demystified by the excellent work of UCDA which has seen coffee prices skyrocketing in the previous years hence putting money in farmers’ pockets.
17) MAAIF is responding to the new EU regulation on deforestation-free products whose deadline is 31st December 2024 (9 months from now) and will affect cocoa as one of the key products exported to the EU.
18) The EU has already signed a MoU with Enveritas and JDE Peets to ensure that coffee continues to be exported to the EU in compliance with the EU regulations. It remains to be seen the action of MAAIF on cocoa.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Coffee is the main source of income for the people of Masaka and mainstreaming of UCDA will affect the livelihoods of the majority of the people in Masaka and other parts of the country which grow coffee.
UCDA, a Centre of Coffee Excellence in Uganda and East Africa as a whole has propelled Uganda to the highest level as far as quality coffee production is concerned, it has quadrupled coffee exports which has contributed to the expansion of the national Tax base and significantly contributed to Coffee research.
In conclusion, the proposed mainstreaming of UCDA will dismantle all the achievements this country has registered in the production and export of quality coffee.
We therefore recommend as thus:
1. We appeal to you to retain UCDA as a semi-autonomous agency in line with the National Coffee Act 2021 for effective governance, regulation, and development of the coffee sector.
2. Direct the Ministry of Finance and Parliament to increase the budget for UCDA to execute its mandate and provide resources to pay nursery operators who have not been paid over the last 203 years. This will enable the youths and women who are the majority of nursery operators to have incomes.
Fred Busuulwa, Chairperson, Masaka City Coffee Nursery Operators Association
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