President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has outlined a comprehensive plan to support Uganda’s tea sector, emphasizing the importance of strategic land use for small-scale farmers.
In a message shared on social media, President Museveni advised small landowners to carefully evaluate participation in crops like tea, cotton, maize, and sugarcane, noting that these require significant land and resources to be profitable. He highlighted that small-scale farmers should consider whether to adopt intensive rather than extensive tea farming practices to maximize productivity.
Addressing challenges faced by tea growers, the President announced that the government plans to allocate approximately Shs300 billion to support financing and debt repayments for growers, processors, factories, and nurseries. Additional measures include finding solutions for fertilizer access, addressing electricity shortages, and providing temporary tax-free diesel to support operations.
“The Agriculture Ministry will ensure that growers cultivate properly and that buyers purchase quality tea,” the President stated, adding that local governments will receive Shs2 billion to improve road infrastructure critical for the sector.
The announcement comes after engagements with tea growers in Bushenyi, underscoring the government’s commitment to strengthening Uganda’s tea industry, boosting farmer incomes, and ensuring sustainable agricultural practices.
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