Productivity Challenge
Coffee A Cup Cooperative Society Ltd Uganda
PLANTING NEW ONE MILLION HIGHLAND ARABICA COFFEE TREE TREES
Partners - PROGRESO FOUNDATION
- UCDA UGANDA COFFEE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
- COFFEE A CUP COOP UGANDA SOCIETY LTD
Time Frame -2011-2012
Expected Results 3,000,000 Kgs of Specialty coffee by2015
In 1970 when Uganda had a political change the government lost monopoly over the coffee sector due to an economic embargo hence smuggling to the neighboring countries become prevalent. This is during the tumultus Idi Amin Era through to 1980 when the Obote II government came into office and regained control of the coffee sector through the state owned coffee marketing board. This did not sit well with the farmers because they had tasted direct cash sales through the black market as opposed to the credit sales government was offering. This was not sustainable for government because there was a steady decline in both quality and quantity of coffee. In 2004, the current government liberalized the coffee industry hence opening up opportunities for producers, traders and any other interested parties to export coffee. These created heavy competition and in turn generated middle men who were not interested in traceability or quality assurance. Coffee A Cup carried a study to identify urgent recovery solutions to poor quality, value addition to marketing and low production. One main discovery was that the coffee production had dwindled because of the old aged coffee trees which were mostly planted of 50 years ago. Hence the idea of the pilot project of 100,000 coffee tree seedlings prepared and distributed to members. This has created mass demand for seedlings by farmers who are eager to contribute towards realization of one million of coffee trees in 2011/2012.
90% of the members have old coffee trees and the production base had dropped from what it was before. During the EAFCA conference in Tanzania sponsored by Progreso, we participated as a team of three from coffee a cup, chairman, accountant and Field Supervisor. Among the Remarks made by one of the facilitators ,DR KIMEMIA from Kenya, declared coffee to be no More in the next 50 years if we don’t correct our crop husbandry, environmental and soil nutrition practices, and he gave his very good observation, like global warming, poor soil nutrition and poor quality varieties.
Mt. Elgon is found in the eastern part of Uganda Eastern Africa with its inhabitants known as Bamasaba from districts of Bududa, Manafwa, Mbale, Sironko and Bulambuli as well as the Sabins from Kapchorwa and Kwen. This region is the number one producer of Bugisu Arabica coffee and has been doing so for the last 60 years. Due to past political instability in Uganda, production and quality guarantee has been interrupted time after time leading to inferior Bugisu Arabica grades and a steady decline in quantity produced. Coffee A Cup a cooperative society in Uganda has in the past addressed quality and marketing issues and is now embarking on a one million coffee tree planting effort in order to counter the low production levels of Coffee in the region. The society believes that in partnership with UCDA and hopefully Progreso Foundation that they can realize this effort within three years. This proposal in presenting this problem, analyzing the solution and outlining the action plan is an appeal to Progeso Foundation to realizing the targeted implementation. This will therefore result into a two to three million additional kilograms in coffee produced per annum in the region.Mt. Elgon is found in the eastern part of Uganda Eastern Africa with its inhabitants known as Bamasaba from districts of Bududa, Manafwa, Mbale, Sironko and Bulambuli as well as the Sabins from Kapchorwa and Kwen. This region is the number one producer of Bugisu Arabica coffee and has been doing so for the last 60 years. Due to past political instability in Uganda, production and quality guarantee has been interrupted time after time leading to inferior Bugisu Arabica grades and a steady decline in quantity produced. Coffee A Cup a cooperative society in Uganda has in the past addressed quality and marketing issues and is now embarking on a one million coffee tree planting effort in order to counter the low production levels of Coffee in the region. The society believes that in partnership with UCDA and hopefully Progreso Foundation that they can realize this effort within three years. This proposal in presenting this problem, analyzing the solution and outlining the action plan is an appeal to Progeso Foundation to realizing the targeted implementation. This will therefore result into a two to three million additional kilograms in coffee produced per annum in the region.
Mt. Elgon is found in the eastern part of Uganda Eastern Africa with its inhabitants known as Bamasaba from districts of Bududa, Manafwa, Mbale, Sironko and Bulambuli as well as the Sabins from Kapchorwa and Kwen. This region is the number one producer of Bugisu Arabica coffee and has been doing so for the last 60 years. Due to past political instability in Uganda, production and quality guarantee has been interrupted time after time leading to inferior Bugisu Arabica grades and a steady decline in quantity produced. Coffee A Cup a cooperative society in Uganda has in the past addressed quality and marketing issues and is now embarking on a one million coffee tree planting effort in order to counter the low production levels of Coffee in the region. The society believes that in partnership with UCDA and hopefully Progreso Foundation that they can realize this effort within three years. This proposal in presenting this problem, analyzing the solution and outlining the action plan is an appeal to Progeso Foundation to realizing the targeted implementation. This will therefore result into a two to three million additional kilograms in coffee produced per annum in the region.
Background
COFFEE A CUP (Community Organized Farmers From Elgon Escarpment Arabica Coffee Uganda Program) is a household specialty coffee farmers’ cooperative with a pilot office based in Bududa District. Founded in 2007 and registered in 2009 by the Ministry of trade, cooperative and marketing Reg No: P.196/RCS. Coffee a Cup is undergoing several specialty codes such as 4C, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance etc to enables us consolidate our international market mainly based in the US, Europe and Asia. With a membership of over 3,000 households of about 6 family members, Our network goes throughout the Mountain Elgon region with field operations in Bududa, Manafwa, Mbale, Sironko ,Bulambuli and Kapchorwa. We kindly request Progresso foundation to partner with us to enable us realize our potential through this well researched and realistic approach towards quantity improvement.
A. Contact Details
Applicant name: / Nabutele MathiasName of the organisation (if any): / COFFEE A CUP COOPERATIVE SOCIETY LTD.
Type of organisation (producer organisation, ngo, company etc.): / Producer Organization
Number of farmers represented: / 3000. Members
Region that you work in: / Mt Elgon Region/Uganda BUDUDA,MANAFWA,MBALE,SIRONKO,BULAMBULI,KAPCHORWA
Country: / Uganda
E-mail: /
Telephone: / +256 785240922
Website (if available): / www.coffeeacup.com
B. Most limiting constraints
What is/are the most important constraint(s) that limit coffee productivity in your area, e.g. what prevents farmers from producing more coffee per tree / acre / ha? (Max 200 words).
1. Climatic change resulting to heavy rainy seasons that result into landslides and floods at times.2. Land fragmentation due to the rapid population growth which limits on acreage
3. Limited shades in coffee plantations for protecting coffee against strong sunshine.
4. Coffee pests and diseases
5. Reliance on Poor farming methods for example shallow cultivation which leads to soil capping
6. Strong winds prior to the rainy seasons. These destroy coffee branches at a time when coffee is flowering thereby affecting the yield.
7. Improper spacing during planting in hilly areas
8. Ageing of coffee trees which limits crop productivity
9. Community disorganisation and the negative attitudes towards coffee production due to unstable prices
10. Ignorance about coffee management practices by the local communities
11. Soil exhaustion caused by erosion and
12. Dependency on inorganic fertilisers which destroy the natural micro-organisms in the soil, making them acidic and less supportive.
13. Poor timing of planting season by the farmers. Most young coffee plants get ruined by the un speculated drought conditions
14. Weeds that compete with coffee for nutrients
15. Limited finances to facilitate trainings on good farming practices and awareness of coffee value chain, and to purchase the necessary inputs among others
16. Over 50 year old coffee trees on poorly soils nutrients.
C. Please describe your strategy to increase coffee productivity
1. Describe the good agricultural practice(s) that are part of your strategy. Describe the objectives and provide some (technical) details / info where possible (Max 400 words).
1. One Million coffee tree seedlings. We recently launched a project to plant a million coffee trees in the entire Elgon zone occupy the vacant areas besides replacing old with new coffee trees.1 Farmers in Bududa receive coffee seedlings
2. Micro-0rganisns (MM) Technology to promote soil nutrition by restoring the lost micro-organisms in the soil
3. Planting shade trees and Nitrogen fixing crops for maintaining soil fertility in an automatic and continuous manner
4. Replacing the old and less productive coffee trees with the new recommended highland Arabica coffee species through our 1 million coffee planting campaign
5. Training farmers on the use of organic fertilizers especially the Mountainous Micro-Organisms Technology
6. Discouraging the use of inorganic fertilizers due to their negative tendency to destroy the natural micro-organisms in the soil
7. Encouraging farmers to plant the prunus Africa trees in their coffee plantations to provide shades, prevent erosion, produce manure through the falling leaves, and maintain soil moisture, economic and medicinal purposes.
8. Control of coffee pests and diseases through spraying, and encouraging farmers to prune their coffee trees to eliminate the infected ones
9. Controlling the dangerous weeds through weeding and spraying using MM technology pests and herbicides
10. Mulching and contour ploughing to check on soil erosion and moisture conservation
11. Training of farmers on pre and post harvest coffee management
12. Forming small organized groups to promote community participation in the production of coffee
13. Sourcing for motorized Mini-eco wash stations to encourage farmers to produce and supply more specialty coffee and produce their own raw materials for natural fertilizers.
14. We are have created a micro-finance support scheme to coffee farmers through ‘Elgon Farmers’, our financial department to help acquire and improve farmers’ input capacities to produce more coffee
15. Training good agricultural farming practices throughout the year.
16. Introducing individual tree irrigation technology through drip irrigation as illustrated in the picture
17. Involving local, political, religious, gender and youth leaders to help during planning, awareness and implementation
2. Describe your ideas for a support program (training plans, input supply etc).
Can you describe what adoption and/or extension strategies, if any, you would recommend to help farmers adopt the agricultural practices that you recommend? (Max 300 words).
2. Encouraging farmers to pick only the Red cherries when harvesting so as to improve quality coffee production
3. Encourage farmers to form small support groups to promote community participation and elicit the negative attitudes
4. Train farmers on coffee farm management and control skills
5. Technical backstopping/on-farm support visits
6. Provide free high yielding coffee seedlings to farmers to replace the old trees
7. Planting tree shades to improve on the moisture and manure content in coffee gardens
8. Encourage the Planting of resistant and quick maturing coffee species
9. Identification and Control of coffee pests and diseases in a timely manner
10. Time rainy seasons whenever farmers wish to plant new trees
11. Deep ploughing to soften the soils so as to ease water penetration and avoid soil capping
12. Pruning to enhance proper plant growth and eliminate infected trees or leaves
13. Mulching to preserve soil moisture, control erosion and produce manure
14. Obtain micro-finance to facilitate coffee production work
15. Adopting the row and contour planting methods in hilly areas so as to minimize erosion
16. Carrying put irrigation especially in period of drought
17. Advising farmers to replace the old coffee trees with new ones
18. Weeding regularly to minimize competition for nutrients by the weeds
19. Seeking knowledge on coffee management and production
D. Impact of your strategies to increase coffee productivity
Did you evaluate the impact on coffee productivity of concrete agricultural practices and/or support program you’ve described above? If so, please describe what the concrete results were in terms of increase of productivity and/or adoption of agricultural practices (Max. 250 words)
1. The planting of New Arabica coffee trees will help increase coffee coverage in the districts of Bududa, Manafwa, Kapchorwa, Bulamabuli, Sironko and Mbale. These new species planted to replace the old ones are anticipated to give high yields in the near future.Farmers on a Coffee Nursery established in Budada District
2. The provision of micro-investment finances is helpful to improving farmers’ capacities to facilitate their large-scale coffee plantations, and ensuring smooth and constant flow of activities
3. Group formation as a farmer mobilization practice has helped to promote community participation in the coffee production business, besides changing people’s negative attitudes towards the same
4. The promotion of organic fertilizers through our MM Technology has played a major role in rejuvenating soil fertility in the region
5. Encouraging farmers to plant prunus Africana to provide shades in coffee gardens and help maintain soil moisture and promote manure production, thereby improving soil fertility. Besides, prunus Africana is also used as a major raw material for pharmaceutical companies towards production of pastorate cancer medicine, its has been declared an endangered species by world Health Organization (WHO) its multiplication will increase incomes to farmers through selling of its bark
6. The promotion of row planting and contour ploughing by farmers in highlands has helped change soil erosion and consequently exhaustion.
7. Train farmers how to test their soils through visible practices like chromatography
E. Replication by other organizations / farmers