With Coffee exports contributing Shs 8.2 trillion to Uganda ‘s Gross Domestic Product, players and stakeholders in the coffee value chain have called upon both large and small-scale farmers to ensure that their coffee produce matches international standards to attract competitive pricing on the international markets.
This call to action directed towards coffee farmers was made by Kenneth Barigye, the CEO of MT Harvest Coffee, during a press conference that was held at Fairway hotel, where the Commercial Coffee Producers Association of Uganda (CCPAU), an association that brings together coffee stakeholders, was formally established to strengthen Uganda’s presence in the global Coffee market.
Barigye, who also serves as the vice chairperson, pointed out that, “when Ugandan exporters and farmers come together to agree on and uphold common quality standards, it should not be seen as partisan, but as a necessary step for growth.
What matters most is that by consistently exporting high-quality coffee backed by reliable seller practices, we build trust with buyers. That trust allows us to command higher prices, and with better prices comes increased access to financing, which in turn enables us to expand and do more business.”
Barigye’s call to action is in line with the aims of (CCPAU), which works towards bringing together businesses, with an emphasis on quality and consistency.
It also aligns with the association’s founding framework of improving quality and productivity of coffee farmers, strengthening Uganda’s reputation in the global coffee markets, improving the margin of producers, increasing the collective bargaining power and supporting growth across the coffee value chain.
The creation of CCPAU builds on several years of cooperation among private sector players through the UK trade partnerships Programmes (UKTP), which is coming to its conclusion and has been implemented by the International Trade Centre with the support of the British High Commission.
Dr Ian Clarke, the chairperson of CCPAU, noted that through improving coffee quality, farmers will be able to secure high prices in the coffee markets, which will enable them get a better pay.
“I have personally been involved in coffee farming for about nine years, specializing in Moist Robusta. Because of its consistency and high quality, my coffee earns a premium price. Buyers not only purchase it but return specifically asking for it, which reflects the trust built through quality. This demonstrates a simple but powerful message: when farmers focus on producing consistent, high- quality coffee, they can access better markets, attract repeat buyers, and ultimately earn higher incomes,” Clarke explained.
Clarke further noted that the association will bring a wealth of experience drawn from across the entire coffee value chain, and noted that the association will work towards ensuring the Ugandan coffee is reorganized around the world just as buyers around the world can recognize Ethiopian, Kenyan and Ghanaian Coffee.
Clarke also identified challenges in inconsistency when it comes to the quality of Ugandan coffee.
He explained that, “when buyers come here, they encounter inconsistency. That’s what we want to change. As an association, our message is simple: produce high-quality coffee and you will earn better prices benefiting everyone along the value chain. To achieve this, we must start at the grassroots level by sharing knowledge on good coffee farming practices.”
Clarke also highlighted the need for coffee farmers to adopt modern methods of farming, noting that coffee farming is not rocket science but one where simple changes in practice can fetch high yields.
He urged for a change in farming practices that have remain unchanged for a long time, and further positioned the newly formed CCPAU as vehicle that can provide better farming techniques through shared experience, which will help farmers to improve farming techniques that can result into quality produce across the entire coffee value chain.
“There is a lot of discussion about value addition in coffee. Roasting is one way to add value, but it’s not the only one. Producing and selling higher-quality coffee is, in itself, a powerful form of value addition because it directly earns farmers better prices.”
Mirembe Mutesa from Dream Coffee noted that the newly formed association will provide Uganda with the opportunity to sell coffee at the international market as a product with a differentiated single origin that is well branded and recognized.
Mutesa further noted that by doing this, it will enable the increase in the value of Ugandan coffee but also enable the retainment of greater intellectual and commercial ownership within the country, ensuring that the benefits flow back to our producers and exporters and make the association an exciting platform that allows Uganda coffee farmers to move beyond selling raw coffee but rather maximize value by building a strong identity, improving quality, and capturing better prices in the global market.
“By coming together and working as an association, we create an opportunity to reduce the burden on government in enforcing standards. When exporters understand why these standards exist, compliance becomes driven by business value rather than enforcement.
This means the government spends fewer resources policing standards because the industry itself is commercially-motivated to uphold them. Looking at market trends, specialty coffee has demonstrated significantly higher value, reaching prices as high as $80 compared to conventional coffee, which can go as low as $12–$15 in markets like the UK,” Mutesa said.
She further noted that “this highlights a clear opportunity. If we focus on producing high-quality coffee and adopting strong business practices, we can unlock these premium markets. In doing so, Uganda can build a competitive export sector that meets international standards organically through its own exporters without losing its identity or relying on external systems to define its value.”
Speaking at the event, the British High Commissioner to Uganda, Lisa Chesney highlighted that the creation of the CCPAU is one of the most important outcomes of the last three years of the UK trade Partnerships Programme, which marks a shift from a programme support to producer-led leadership to a platform owned and driven by Uganda’s private sector that is focused on the long-term commercial success of Ugandan coffee.
Chesney further urged CCPAU to value the lessons they have learnt from the UK trade Partnership Programme and pass them on to new entrants across the sector as the lessons and knowledge acquired, which will be essential in sustaining the momentum of the newly formed association.
“Coffee is one of Uganda’s most important exports, and the UK is proud to support Uganda’s ambition to move further up the value chain, increasing exports of high quality, high value products and building strong commercially-sustainable links with international markets. That ambition aligns very closely with the UK’s own commitment to open outward looking trade partnerships,” Chesney said.
She highlighted the size of the coffee market in th UK with netizens consuming 98 million cups of coffee a day and highlighting the UK’s perspective about the need to see Ugandan exporters succeed through strong institutions, credible private sector leadership and partnerships that continue well beyond the life of any one programme, with CCPAU as a powerful platform of that approach in action.
