Embrace Coffee Farming,Toyota urges Buhweju Residents
Michael Toyota Kaguta, the National Vice Chairperson of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) has urged residents of Buhweju district to embrace coffee farming as a profitable alternative amid challenges in the tea sector. He was speaking at a farmers’ baraza at Nyakashaka Town Market in Nyakashaka Town Council yesterday.
Kaguta encouraged locals to prepare land for coffee while maintaining their existing tea plantations. He highlighted coffee’s potential for annual income and emphasized that a dual-crop approach can enhance farmers’ resilience.
The event which was organized by Inspire Africa Coffee in partnership with Buhweju West MP Ephraim Biraro Ganshanga aimed to promote agricultural diversification and raise awareness about coffee’s economic benefits. Kaguta advised farmers not to abandon their tea gardens, noting that both crops can complement each other for sustainable income.
Buhweju currently has over 3,000 hectares under tea cultivation. Despite recent declines in tea prices, market trends show a rebound with prices rising from an average of $0.74 per kilogram in late 2023 to $1.02 in 2025, a UGX 1,035 increase per kilogram. While this offers hope, smallholder farmers still face market and logistical challenges.
Asiimwe Nicholas Bangizi of Inspire Africa Coffee reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting farmers through training, field visits and quality control. He also encouraged participation in the upcoming Coffee Marathon, a community initiative to empower women in coffee farming.
Buhweju West MP Ephraim Biraro Ganshanga revealed that he has written to President Yoweri Museveni requesting for 150,000 coffee seedlings to distribute across the six sub-counties in his constituency.
