Strategic Focus

Encourage, support and promote activities for sustaining and increasing sustainable coffee production and trade to maintain and increase in volume and quality

Most members of the Federation, who originally were primarily involved in processing and marketing activities, have in the last few years started to invest in production. This means that as producers they will be key leaders in quality improvement and in setting trends in the industry, in building professionalism and the modernisation of the coffee industry in Uganda. Noting that the industry has developed a processing capacity that currently stands in excess of five times the present level of farm production, the federation would like to support all efforts aimed at sustaining and increasing the present farm production so as to guarantee the reliable and increasing supply of coffee to process and sell in both the domestic and export markets.

Unsatisfactory volumes are a matter of grave concern for Uganda's coffee industry.� When volumes are low the country may start to lose some of the big coffee buyers to countries like Vietnam where supply is more consistent, thereby making it even more difficult to sustain the industry. Therefore sustaining the current upsurge in production and increasing it is of uttermost priority.

Engage the public sector in policy and strategic dialogues to reform the funding and operations of coffee research in the country

Coffee is an important sector and the research in the industry must be properly targeted. Coffee research in Uganda has been distanced from the actual players in the field and it is imperative that there is a partnership between the private sector and government that will ensure that stakeholders' interests are taken seriously.� The research institution must be removed from the present bureaucratic system and restructured to give it autonomy and a private sector focus. An independent Coffee Research Foundation must be established.

Funding of research must be based on the principle of meeting needs in the industry and where research must deliver tangible results and be held accountable for funds received. The Board of the research institution must have an industry representation including farmers, processors and exporters, and the chairman should not be a political appointee but a member of the board selected by peers to lead by virtue of their reputation, ability and leadership skills.

Coffee research should be made as responsive to the industry as possible, with backward and forward linkages to ensure that research is relevant to production needs and requirements as well marketing issues and concerns, including trends in the international market place. Therefore, the federation will play an active role in restructuring coffee research in Uganda.

Initiate policy dialogue for coffee industry review and reform and provide representation of members in matters pertaining to the coffee business

Exporters account for an investment in plant and machinery worth over US$100 million, with other related infrastructure such as buying/receiving centres and also provide employment to thousands of people. The Federation will push for key reforms in the industry so as to guarantee a better future for the coffee farmers and all others with investments or stakes in the industry to ensure sustainability of the industry.

The Federation will continue to mobilise the stakeholders in the industry and to promote co-operation with allied industries which render services to those in the coffee trade so that issues can be expeditiously handled to the benefit of all interested parties. The advocacy function shall be given foremost attention to ensure that industry interests are adequately protected in the legal and regulatory environment.

Read more about the Ugandan Coffee Policy

Promote and engage in activities for the promotion of domestic coffee consumption

Uganda is a coffee producing country that exports the majority of their production. Domestic consumption is very low and the average per capita consumption is estimated at only 0.08 kg/year, this is compared with Costa Rica's 4.0 kg/year and Brazil's 5.2 kg/year. Uganda like most African producing countries depends on international prices to sustain their coffee business. Recent surveys, research work and workshops with stakeholders demonstrate that there is a strong potential and excellent opportunities to develop the domestic coffee market in Uganda with benefits to all involved.

The imbalance between global coffee supply and demand has caused prices and thus earnings for producer countries to fluctuate so often. The solution for the imbalance is to successfully establish the relationship between higher quality standards and higher prices, we should work on building an 'Alternative Market'� where coffees produced to higher standards are traded in a transparent manner at higher prices. This scenario warrants a closer look at domestic production and exports as well as determination of the level of domestic consumption markets. The benefits will accrue both to the public and private sector of Uganda. Benefits will include the expansion of the local tax base, creation of employment opportunities, and development of entrepreneurship and innovation, in a sector that is usually traditional and slow moving.

Undertake and promote the formation of a Coffee Industry Alliance

The current environment like in most Uganda's agricultural sub sectors, relationships between the coffee industry and the government do not yet support coordinated industry development. The private sector is considered to be fragmented and weak while Government is not responsive to private sector initiatives. It is important for the public and private sector elements of the sub sector to work together to achieve the targets identified here. Clusters are the preferred mechanism for sub sector development support.

Participate in the promotion of Uganda coffee and dissemination of information

Promotion is an important function in any industry and in the coffee business it is imperative that a national interest is incorporated in such effort. The federation shall spearhead and co-ordinate promotional activities aimed at enhancing the image and building a high profile for Uganda coffee, ultimately ensuring remunerative prices to the producers so as to encourage them to continue in production.

Seek support to strengthen the institutional capacity of UCTF to pursue its strategic objectives effectively

One of UCTF's main objective is to provide relevant services to its members so as to equip and facilitate them in their business operations. As a co-ordinating office, it is imperative that the secretariat keeps on top of things, and that there are sufficient staffs and staffs have sufficient capacity to cope with the challenges of the tasks that they have. Thus, there will be need to recruit new staff and effort will be made to develop certain skills for secretariat staff so that they can deliver cutting edge services to the members of the Federation.�

Fundraising will be another core area in the institutional strengthening of UCTF to ensure that there are enough resources to fund the activities of the Federation.