Katikiro of Buganda Charles Peter Mayiga has asked the government to scrutinize President Yoweri Museveni’s recent proposal to dissolve the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) and adopt sustainable approaches to the National Coffee (Amendment) Bill 2024.

The Katikkiro’s call comes as NRM members of Parliament prepare to meet President Museveni in Kisozi, Gomba district, over the controversial bill.

Speaking to the media on October 29, 2024, at the Buganda kingdom offices in Bulange, Mengo, Mayiga asked the government to reconsider the proposal, warning that the bill could severely impact Uganda’s coffee industry and the rural livelihoods it supports.

“The government should carefully consider the perspectives of coffee-dependent communities,” he stated.

Mayiga then highlighted the importance of UCDA to Uganda’s economic stability, noting that the livelihoods of millions of Ugandans depend on the cash crop.

He, however, advised that the government should focus on allocating more funds to UCDA instead of rationalizing it in order to give it a proper and effective boost nationwide.

“UCDA should be funded further and retained to: advise on good farming practices; improve quality of the crop on the farm and after harvest; raise the quantities produced; popularize the drinking of coffee; and explore possible bi-products from the coffee bean,” he stated.

According to Mayiga, funding the Coffee Authority will further its outreach to influence every farmer involved and add value to the crop, noting that top coffee-producing nations continue to export raw coffee beans, or to Europe and the United States, where consumers prefer freshly ground coffee.

By strengthening the UCDA and investing in programs that promote value addition and innovative coffee bi-products, the government can help secure a stable and prosperous future for Uganda’s coffee farmers and preserve the livelihoods that rely on this vital sector.