Lango leaders to push homesteads to embrace coffee and cocoa

Lira, Uganda | NEWS CORRESPONDENT | Cultural and religious leaders last week gathered at Canon Lawrence Boroboro in Lira to support a major transition to coffee farming in the Lango sub-region.

Hans de Heer from Plutus Coffee Group Ltd guided participants in the discussion. De Heer pointed out that northern Uganda, especially Lango, offers excellent conditions for coffee cultivation. He encouraged the community to adopt coffee as their main cash crop.

To facilitate this change, he announced plans to train 8,000 farmers across five districts in Lango. “We aim to empower farmers in five districts to boost coffee farming,” he said, presenting a clear strategy for enhancing local skills.

With over 40 years in the coffee industry, he passionately spoke about coffee’s transformative impact. “Coffee has allowed me to provide for my family,” he shared, highlighting its potential for the community.

Plutus Coffee Group announced plans to establish a Central Processing Unit (CPU) at Lira Industrial Park. The facility will anchor a modern coffee value chain by providing a market for farmers and enabling value addition through advanced processing.

Ambassador Dickson Ogwang Okul, the clan leader for Palacol, coordinated the event, delivering a strong message to the attendees.

He emphasized that the time for indecision has passed.

“It’s high time the people of Lango embrace coffee growing,” he declared. He set an ambitious goal for household wealth, suggesting every home should allocate at least two acres for coffee. “Every household needs two acres of coffee to fight poverty and ensure children can go to school,” he asserted.

Ogwang Okul urged cultural and religious leaders to lead by example. He noted that Bishop Professor Alfred Olwa of the Lango Diocese has already made strides by planting coffee on his land. “Leaders must champion coffee planting and demonstrate commitment,” he insisted.

Eddy Morris Ogweng, a former political candidate, reinforced the economic argument for this shift. He called for a move away from traditional crops like maize to more profitable options, including coffee, vanilla, and cocoa. He presented striking income comparisons, revealing that while 100 kg of maize yields only 90,000, the same amount of coffee brings in over 900,000. “For 100 kg of cocoa, a farmer can make 2,600,000,” he noted.

The leaders at the meeting united in endorsing the coffee initiative, vowing to mobilize their communities to start planting. This could mark a significant agricultural shift for the region.