The Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) has engaged the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) to join efforts in registering coffee farmers across the country, a crucial step toward ensuring compliance with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
During a meeting held at IRCU’s offices on Friday, Robert Nangatsa, the Extension Manager at UCDA, highlighted the role that faith-based organizations like IRCU can play in mobilizing communities for sustainable coffee practices.
“Coffee is not only vital for our economy but also for the livelihoods of millions of Ugandans, particularly in rural areas,” Nangatsa stated. “We believe IRCU, with its influence in communities and its commitment to ethical leadership, can be a key partner in sensitizing coffee farmers about the importance of registering to ensure full compliance with international standards, including the EUDR.”
The UCDA’s campaign to register coffee farmers is part of a larger effort to meet the requirements of the EUDR, which mandates that agricultural commodities like coffee must come from land that has not been deforested since December 2020. The registration process, led by the UCDA, aims to create a comprehensive database of coffee value chain actors, enabling better traceability and sustainability in Uganda’s coffee sector.
Nangatsa underscored the importance of cooperation from religious and cultural institutions. “We are looking to IRCU and other religious leaders to support this effort by using their platforms to raise awareness among farmers about the long-term benefits of sustainable practices and how registration will protect their livelihoods by maintaining access to European markets.”
The IRCU’s contribution to peacebuilding, community development, and ethical stewardship was highlighted as a vital asset to this campaign. Nangatsa emphasized that by working together, UCDA and IRCU could promote not only sustainable coffee production but also community-wide development that benefits all sectors of society.
IRCU officials expressed their willingness to collaborate with the UCDA in spreading the message. As one representative noted, “Our work has always been about uplifting communities, and partnering with the UCDA aligns with our mission to foster development that honors both people and the environment.”
Speaking on behalf of the IRCU, Secretary General Joshua Kitakule welcomed UCDA’s official engagement and clarified misinformation about coffee farmers’ registration.
“In this meeting, we have been briefed on why the coffee farmers need to register themselves. We were told about the regulations that are coming from the European Union, and we were convinced that it is important that the farmers register because we don’t want to lose the European market I think we have a role as the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda, as faith communities in this country to mobilize to do social mobilization, to ensure that the farmers get the right information about the registration, and we are aware of the resentment, especially around the central region,” he said.
Mr Kitakule noted that it’s important to provide more information to reduce any resentment around the registration process. “Registration is critical if we are to have our coffee access to the market. We’ve agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will clearly define our roles, especially in mobilizing and ensuring that all coffee farmers register.”
“We will offer our platforms—social media, television, associations, and, more importantly, spaces in mosques and churches—to spread the message. Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, we will communicate the importance of registration to coffee farmers. We believe this regulation will not only improve the quality of coffee but also ensure we maintain access to the European market,” he said.
The meeting concluded with both parties agreeing to outline a strategy for engaging religious leaders and community influencers in the registration campaign. This partnership is expected to accelerate the registration process, with enumerators visiting farms across Uganda to collect data essential for EUDR compliance.
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