Ugandan Government Urged To Break Silence On Coffee Reforms As The EUDR Implementation Deadline Nears – CoffeeTalk

The Uganda government has been tasked to break silence on systemic and institutional reforms being taken to boost the coffee sub-sector both nationally and internationally. Stakeholders in the coffee sub-sector have expressed concerns about the lack of public involvement and transparency, increasing anxiety among coffee farmers and rural communities. The country’s limited time to meet the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) imposes strict environmental and traceability requirements on agricultural products, including coffee. With only about 238 days remaining until the EU compliance deadline, experts caution that the country may jeopardize its access to vital export markets unless it takes prompt and inclusive action.

The regulation mandates that products such as coffee, wood, cocoa, palm oil, and soybeans, along with their derivatives, are free from deforestation and produced legally. Herbert Musimenta from the Department of Crop Inspection and Certification at the Ministry of Agriculture noted that the government has intensified the registration of coffee farmers to beat the deadline. He clarified that some farmers’ fears about registration being a ploy for taxation are unfounded, as this regulation is a requirement from the EU.

The government is working to expand coffee markets beyond Europe, with an axis already opened in Asia, the Middle East, and China, which require huge quantities of coffee. It is incumbent upon the private sector to explore these markets and ensure they are utilized. However, Gladys Nawere, a coffee farmer from the Elgon region, decried the lack of enough sensitization about the ongoing registration of coffee farmers. She said that there has not been enough or effective sensitization about what it entails exactly, and many are even shying away thinking there will be taxes levied upon the coffee.

Abed Bwanika, a legislator for Kimanya-Kabonera and member of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, expressed concerns regarding the decreasing budget allocation for the agricultural sector. He urged the government to make heavy investments in coffee seedlings, fertilizers, and provide farmers with the necessary resources to enable Uganda to compete in the global market.

Julian Amanya, a projects officer at FRA, stated that the purpose of the engagement was to unite stakeholders in the coffee sector to discuss the future of the cash crop in Uganda, particularly as the Ministry of Agriculture is implementing various reforms following the rationalisation of the UCDA. She also tasked the government to urgently address Uganda’s progress in meeting the European Union’s deforestation directive, with less than a year remaining for compliance.

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