Buganda youth urged to ‘raise the bar’ through coffee farming

What the report says

The Buganda Kingdom is urging young people to view coffee farming as a path to income generation, employment and greater economic independence. According to Nile Post, the message is part of the Kingdom’s “Situla Omutindo” initiative, which translates as “Raise the Standard” and is tied to this year’s focus on youth welfare and financial empowerment in the 2024/2025 budget.

As part of the programme, members of the Buganda Youth Council visited the National Agricultural Coffee Research Institute (NaCORI) at Nasuuti in Kyaggwe. The visit was intended to give them practical knowledge on improving coffee quality and strengthening the crop’s value chain, from seedling production to processing and final products. The delegation also toured cocoa gardens managed by NARO and later visited the NUCAFE Africa processing facility to learn more about value addition.

Youth minister Robert Sserwanga Ssalongo led the delegation and encouraged young people to be innovative in agriculture and to combine land ownership, labour and skills where possible. NaCORI’s operations head, Evans Atujukirire, welcomed the group’s interest but urged them to apply what they learned in order to earn income. Buganda youth secretary general Laziya Natamu said such training can help even small-scale farmers improve their operations through direct access to expert advice.

Participants said the trip broadened their outlook on coffee-related business opportunities. The Kingdom’s broader aim, as presented by Nile Post, is to equip young people with agricultural skills that can improve household incomes and support youth-led enterprise in a sector that remains important to Uganda’s export economy.