AGRICULTURE: The Minister of State for Local Government, Hon. Victoria Rusoke Businge, has commissioned a modern coffee processing facility in Bunyangabu District under the Local Economic Growth Support Project, in a move aimed at strengthening value addition and improving farmers’ incomes.
Speaking at the commissioning, the Minister urged farmers to scale up coffee production to ensure the facility operates at full capacity. She also encouraged cooperatives to establish coffee nurseries to guarantee a steady supply of quality seedlings.
For years, farmers in the area have been selling their coffee to middlemen, often transporting it as far as Kasese, a practice that exposed them to exploitation and low prices.
Speaking on behalf of the farmers, Adonia Kimanywenda noted that producers previously sold a kilogram of coffee at between UGX 4,000 and 5,000 due to poor post-harvest handling and limited processing capacity.
With the new facility in place, prices are expected to rise to about UGX 12,000 per kilogram, offering renewed hope for improved livelihoods.
Representing the LEGS Project, Eng. Isaac Opolot encouraged the community to embrace project interventions, including the e-voucher system, through which the government subsidizes 50 percent of the cost of agricultural inputs. He also highlighted the importance of establishing community nurseries to boost production.
He noted that these interventions will help farmers produce enough coffee to match the processing capacity of the facility.
The commissioning adds to earlier investments delivered in Bunyangabu District under the LEGS Project, including the construction and rehabilitation of key community access roads such as the Bubwika–Yerya Bridge Community Access Road and the Buhesi–Mitandi Road, which have improved connectivity and access to markets.
Additional interventions include the development of market infrastructure such as the Kagera Market Shed, the Nyamiseke–Mahoma Road, and the Bunaiga Gravity Water Scheme, among others, all aimed at supporting local economic growth.
The Minister also raised concern over rising cases of teenage pregnancies and school dropouts, calling on parents and community leaders to prioritize keeping children in school and safeguarding their future.
The district’s technical leadership, led by Chief Administrative Officer Mr. Nsubuga Hood, pledged continued support to farmers to ensure the sustainability and effective utilization of the facility.
