Hundreds of farmers gathered for a coffee master class organised by Vision Group at Buzzami Playground in Bunjakko-Buwama, Mpigi district.
The training, held on Saturday, aimed at equipping farmers with practical knowledge on treating coffee farming as a viable business.
The training emphasised that the future of coffee lies not in tradition, but in smart farming, value addition and market-driven practices.
This initiative is part of Vision Group’s broader campaign to promote farming as a business.
Through the Best Farmers competition, Vision Group and partners, that is, the Netherlands Embassy in Uganda, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, dfcu Bank, and Koudijs BV— recognises outstanding farmers and shares best agronomic practices.
The training was conducted in collaboration with National Union of Coffee Agribusinesses and Farm Enterprises (NUCAFE), one of the 2024 Best Farmer winners.
The training was hosted at Queen of Coffee Africa farms. Coffee as a business Joseph Nkandu, the managing director of NUCAFE and lead facilitator, urged farmers to adopt a business mindset in coffee farming.
He emphasised that this shift is essential for increasing productivity and profitability.
“Coffee has long been Uganda’s cash cow, yet we are only earning about 10% of what we should because many players in the sector do not treat it as a serious business,” he said.
He cited the example of fair average quality coffee, which once sold at sh18,000 per kilogramme.
“We celebrated that price, yet it’s a fraction of what we could earn,” he noted.
At the training, NUCAFE sold a cup of coffee at sh2,000. Nkandu explained that in well-established cafés, a cup goes for around sh10,000, and internationally, it sells for at least four euros (sh18,000).
With 1kg of coffee producing up to 80 cups, the potential revenue is sh1.44m per kilogramme.
“If we can capture even 50% of that value, we can transform livelihoods. But it requires handling coffee as a business, that is, from farming and post-harvest handling to processing and value addition,” he stressed.
Uganda exports over six million 60kg bags of coffee annually, with plans to increase production to 20 million bags by 2030.
Achieving this goal will require coordinated efforts across the sector.
Key training highlights
The master class covered several critical areas to help farmers improve production and profitability as follows:
Training the next generation
NUCAFE is developing a succession system to train children and communities through schools.
Pupils and students from seven schools that included Bishop George Ssenabulya Primary School and Bunjakko Vocational Secondary School, attended the training.
Michael Mukasa Ssebbowa, the editor, Bukedde newspaper, encouraged parents to involve their children in their businesses for continuity.
“They may not grasp everything now, but this is how we build the future,” Ssebbowa said.
He lauded the pupils of Bishop George Ssenabulya Primary School for performing a song thanking Vision Group for promoting agriculture and encouraging farmers to form cooperatives.
Soil testing
Dr David Kirya, a lecturer at Makerere University, emphasised the importance of soil testing before planting.
“Soil is the foundation of crop production. Testing identifies nutrient deficiencies and guides fertiliser application,” Kirya said.
He added that modern soil tests not only recommend suitable crops, but also offer strategies to rejuvenate the soil for specific crops.
If a farmer changes their crop choice, they must seek new recommendations for it.
Quality planting material
Nkandu advised farmers to book seedlings from government-licensed nursery beds at least three months before planting.
“This ensures a strong root system and proper mixing of coffee lines, that is, at least seven out of 10 lines in a garden,” he said.
Fertiliser application
Godfrey Kalemera, a sales and marketing manager at Makonde Organic Ltd, said fertiliser use is essential for commercial coffee farming.
“Start with soil testing to determine the right fertiliser at each growth stage,” Kalemera noted.
He outlined the needs:
Planting stage: Phosphorus for root development
Growth stage: Calcium for structure and leaf growth
Flowering stage: Zinc and boron for berry setting
He also recommended adding organic matter like compost and manure to improve soil structure and nutrient supply.
Efficient spacing
Farmers were introduced to the Brazilian spacing system used at Queen of Coffee Africa farm. It is 10ft by 3ft, allowing 1,333 plants per acre, compared to the traditional 10ft x 10ft system with only 450 plants.
Nkandu explained that with land becoming increasingly fragmented, maximising productivity is crucial.
“This system can yield up to 1.5 tonnes per acre, compared to 500kg with the traditional spacing,” he said.
In addition to spacing, it takes good management practices to get high returns.
“Regardless of the planting system used, whether traditional or intensive, success depends on how well the farm is managed. We must enrich our soils with the right nutrients to ensure healthy growth and excellent yields.”
He added that both systems require consistent care — fertilisation, pest and disease control, weeding and other agronomic practices are essential for high productivity.
Value addition at the farm
Nkandu explained that value addition starts at the farm level, where the quality of coffee is first established.
“Once the coffee plant receives the nutrients it needs, the next step is to preserve that quality through proper handling,” he said.
This begins with harvesting — farmers should pick only ripe cherries.
Drying should be done on a tarpaulin or raised platform in a clean environment, away from any odours that coffee can absorb.
Such odours include smoke from cooking stoves or burning wood, fuel or oil from generators, vehicles, or machinery stored nearby.
Others are chemicals such as pesticides or paints, mould and mildew from damp or poorly ventilated storage areas, foods such as onions, garlic, fish, or spices and livestock waste and poultry droppings.
Coffee must be dried to a moisture content of 10–12% and stored in clean dry facilities.
“Avoid bulking wet coffee or storing dried coffee in dirty, leaking stores,” he warned.
“Such practices lead to mould growth and the development of ochratoxins, a toxic compound that can result in the rejection of entire consignments.”
