According to Apollo Kamugisha, the principal development officer of Uganda Coffee Development Authority, Uganda is the lead producer of high quality Robusta beans in the world. Indigenous to Uganda and the Congo, Robusta coffee is grown at high altitude in volcanic soil and wet climates.
Uganda exported about 2.7 million bags of coffee worth US$257 million in 2007, which was about $87 million more than the previous year (2006).
When we were growing up during the Amin’s regime, coffee was fetching 10 times as much. If I remember right Uganda was officially exporting around 1.5 million bags of coffee per year and earning over US $ 1.5billion! Note that nearly twice the production now is earning the country one sixth of what half the production was earning 30 years ago.
No wonder that time, there was coffee smuggling. Peasants in Busoga and other eastern Uganda districts used to smuggle coffee to Kenya and earn millions of shillings. We actually used to admire our former schoolmates who dropped out of school. They could afford radio cassettes, several wives and magendo (smuggled) beer! They used to dress in the latest bell-bottom trousers, slim fit shirts and platform (then called bongo) shoes. Meanwhile, we were slaving away at school!
Uganda is Africa’s leading producer of coffee, and among the leading 10 producers worldwide. However, coffee drinkers in Uganda are minimal. I remember, while in secondary school and university, my friends and I used it to keep us awake as we revised.
After university, coffee was completely forgotten. While at the Weekly Topic, my first and only employer, only Tea was served. When I broke off, to start my own company, I continued with the habit of serving tea.
When I migrated to the Netherlands, I continued my tea drinking habits, but somewhere along the way, coffee became part of me. Now, I can’t begin a day without a cup of coffee.
Recently, when I was in Uganda, I was glad to see that the Uganda Coffee Development Authority was encouraging wanainchi (citizens) to drink coffee. Posters were put up at leading supermarkets and other public places depicting the advantages of drinking coffee.
Personally, I think this effort will not bare fruit unless the coffee is brewed and served free to the people in the traditional way. We don’t have to re-invent the wheel, but when you look at the way the Ethiopians market their traditional coffee you get embarrassed convincing people to drink Uganda coffee.
We have now gone a long way in producing exportable coffee through Good African Coffee and other exporters. One can now get internationally recognized imported or local coffee flavors. Personally, I changed from a tea drinking to a coffee drinking culture.
I would be lost without a cup of coffee; I love a cappuccino first thing in the morning, followed by fruits like pears, kiwis and bananas. I drink coffee the rest of the day endlessly. I am now impressed by the government efforts to promote a coffee drinking culture.
Thus I do support the government initiative to promote a coffee drinking culture in Uganda.
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