NUCAFE wants to strengthen coffee legislation

Ever since the National Coffee Policy was formed back in 2013, coffee farmers in Uganda, under the leadership of the National Union for Coffee Agribusiness and Farm Enterprises (NUCAFE) have been somewhat engaged with the country’s policy makers. Now, they’re embroiled in a fresh bid to ensure that some changes are implemented; changes that it is hoped will increase efficiency and coffee production in the African nation.

A number of farmers believe that the existing rules – which are predominantly controlled by the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) – are limited and could be improved upon.

The body of farmers claim that the vast majority (87%, apparently) of their kin are completely in the dark about a bunch of regulations.

It seems that they are pushing for the current legislation to be overhauled and streamlined and for the UCDA to make a couple of amendments to their statutes.

“We were the key players in influencing the government to formulate the National Coffee Policy,” said NUCAE’s executive managing director Joseph Nkandu.

“This is the first ever public policy in Uganda directly influenced and demanded by farmers. Hence, collectively we own the vision and process of the policy. We now want to ensure that its implementation addresses all the positive changes that we want to see in the coffee sector.”

In order to survey general public opinion on the matter, the Daily Monitor reports that NUCAFE made a concerted effort to commission research on the matter and make their case from an ‘evidence-based’ position. The news entity states that one such example was a coffee farmers’ forum in Masaka.

At this forum, it appears that a number of farmers question the quality of the coffee seedlings that were being distributed by politicians as part of agricultural initiatives. Others recommended that distributors could be trained and centrally certified.

Rashida Nakabuga, of NUCAFE, also commented on the continued implementation of gender equality initiatives, some of which were initially laid down by USAID.

“We want the implementation of the National Coffee Policy to include equal sharing of opportunities by both men and women,” Nakabuga said.

Time will tell if the farmers get to have their say and legislation changed.

Do you think it is a good idea to let farmers dictate government policy?