The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, together with Uganda Coffee Development Authority have signed bi-lateral agreements with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to improve coffee production.
The agreements are meant to increase the production of quality coffee and also to increase the quantity, and for this to happen some areas have been identified as key players must be boasted and this will be through;
Exchange of technicians and researchers, study and elaboration of projects of technical assistance, exchange of scientific and technical information in the field of agricultural research conducted in the two countries.
Training involving courses, seminars, study tours and other necessary professional training, Utilization of laboratory facilities involving the participation of private institutions in the area of livestock and plant protection, Exchange of programs for the improvement of animal and plant production and soil fertility, storage and processing.
The signed agreements follow the 2017 coffee sub-sector roadmap which was launched by President Museveni with a national target of producing 20 million bags of coffee exported per year by 2025.
While speaking to Journalists on Thursday at Media Centre, Minister Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja, said Coffee is among the 12 Priority Commodities listed in the Agriculture Sector Strategic Plan and the National Development Plan that was designed to guide Uganda’s development to Middle Income Status.
“We need many agreements because Coffee is still a stronghold in the Agricultural sector. In 2014 Coffee generated over Shs1.5 trillion which is 31.7 per cent of the agricultural export revenues and maintained its position as the biggest agricultural export from Uganda with fish and fish products in the second position, having generated over Shs506bn which is 10.4 per cent of the total,” said Ssempijja.
According to Ssempijja, Coffee fetched over Shs1.8 trillion in the last Financial Year alone. This represents a 19.9 per cent increase in the value of exports between 2014 and now.
Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quoc Doanh advised Uganda Coffee Development Authority to utilize laboratory facilities to improve on the quality of coffee produced.
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