Minister Asiimwe Urges Ntungamo Residents to Prepare for Opportunities Around Coffee Park

What the report says

Nile Post reports that Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Jonard Asiimwe Akiiki has called on communities near the Inspire Africa Coffee Park in Rwashamaire, Ntungamo District, to prepare for business opportunities expected when the large coffee processing facility becomes fully operational. During an inspection tour, Asiimwe urged residents to consider hotels, restaurants and guest houses, while also increasing coffee production to supply the plant.

According to the report, the minister said some residents had raised concerns about not yet seeing benefits from the project. He said parts of the facility may appear complete, but further work is still under way before programmes are rolled out for farmers and neighbouring communities. Asiimwe said the government wants local people to be among the first to gain through jobs, services, business activity and stronger farm-level production.

Inspire Africa Group chief executive Nelson Tugume said the company is introducing a farmer traceability system intended to put growers on electronic records, track coffee supplies and improve transparency and earnings. He also said the park has installed an organic fertilizer production machine, citing low productivity among farmers as a challenge.

The article places the project within Uganda’s wider push for agricultural value addition, especially in coffee, one of the country’s key export crops. Officials toured processing and manufacturing lines, the fertilizer facility and the project’s water source, and Asiimwe described technology and innovation as important to creating higher-value jobs and boosting export earnings. The report did not state when the park will begin full operations.