Farmers to guard coffee plantations-Ibanda
Peter Abaho, the Ibanda District Principal Agriculture Officer has encouraged coffee farmers in the district to strengthen security around and within their coffee plantations. This follows a surge in cases related to invasion of people’s coffee plantations and harvesting the ripe and unripe coffee cherries.
It has been observed that these acts have become a security threat that needs the intervention of the district security committee before the situation gets out of hand.
Abaho said that all these could be fueled by individuals who have refused to plant coffee even when the government gave out free seedlings to farmers.
Medard Tukamuhabwa, a farmer in Ishongororo Town Council, Ibanda North County, said that he lost about Shs100,000 worth of ripe coffee cherries to thieves recently. He said that the experience compelled him to hire guards who protect his two coffee plantations with intention of keeping thieves away.
According to Tukamuhabwa, the suspects are thought to be mainly school dropouts who do not work but have resorted to surviving on theft.
Linus Barya, a coffee grower in Nyakateete,Kigarama ward, Bisheshe Division, said that farmers have been forced to guard their plantations all the time to scare off thieves. He was concerned about his neighbour who lost over two sacks of two half-dry coffee cherries to thieves.
The Chairman Kashangura Coffee Cooperative Society, Januario Turyateemba observed that thieves have gone as far as cutting coffee branches off coffee trees . After cutting them off they disappear to the bushes close to the gardens and pick the cherries. They strike at night or during heavy down pours when human movement is minimal.
In all this, middlemen are being blamed for fueling theft since it is alleged that they only mind about making money disregarding the quality of coffee.
