Gov’t skills Kikuube coffee farmers
On December 10th, 2020, government launched a campaign to stump old coffee trees and rehabilitate abandoned coffee gardens under the theme "Renovate and rehabilitate your Coffee, Every tree counts”
Under this campaign Uganda Coffee Development Authority set up Demonstration Coffee Farmers in sub counties of Kikuube and Hoima district to train farmers in good agricultural practices.
While training farmers at Pascal Musuuza's coffee garden in Kikuube town council, Mathew Kwikiriza, the UCDA western regional manager noted that farmers should observe one stem breather balance and an angle of 45 degrees slant on a stump.
He notes that this is one of the continued efforts to improve production of coffee to sustain Uganda’s position in the global production of these crops.
Coffee production in the Kikuube district remains low, a situation attributed to old coffee trees.
Edward Kyamuresire, one of the farmers, says that he is confident that when all farmers are given knowledge on stumping their old trees and given fertilizers to boost tree regeneration, production will be much higher.
More than 80 farmers have been given stumping tools that include pruning saw and bow saw with spare blades.
With adaptation of the stumping strategy and other agricultural practices, Uganda hopes to move from an annual production of six million bags in 2019/2020 to 15 million bags by 2039/2040.
