Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) has demystified rumors being spread by opposition Members of Parliament that Buganda region farmers have been sidelined in the development of coffee production and that government is intentionally sabotaging Baganda to make them poor.
During the presidential address on November 7, 2024, the OWC coordinator for the Greater Masaka region, Colonel Nsamba, clarified that they have managed to distribute over 107 million free coffee seedlings to Buganda farmers in the ten (10) districts that make the Buganda region, which has boosted coffee production.
According to Col Nsamba, since 2013, they have managed to distribute coffee seedlings in different districts that make greater Masaka, and the ten districts that benefited from the coffee seedling distribution campaign included Bukomasimbi, which received 18,700,000 coffee seedlings making over 40,000 acres, and Kalangala, which received 200,000 coffee seedlings making over 4600 acres.
Others include Ndugu Mpigi district, which received 30,000,000 coffee seedlings making over 670,000 acreage, Kyotera 35,000,000 coffee seedlings making over 120,000 acreage, Lwengo 33,000,000 coffee seedlings making over 73000 acreages, Lyatonde 220,000 coffee seedlings making 496 acreages, Masaka 20,800,000 coffee seedlings making 46000 acreages, Rakai 10,890,000 coffee seedlings making 24,2000 acreage, Sembabule 20, 770,000 making 470,000 acreage, all in total making 509,000 acreages of coffee planted in Buganda region.
He further revealed that OWC aligned with the government’s initiative of the ‘‘Emmwanyi Terimba campaign,’’ which promoted sustainable farming practices and quality coffee production.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni guided that he accepted the formation of government agencies from the main agencies because the then civil servants lacked enthusiasm and motivation for work.
“UNRA and UCDA were temporary measures that I accepted at the beginning of our government, mainly because of the low pay of our public servants,’’ he said.
Also, statistics indicate that the Buganda region contributes over 50% of Uganda’s total coffee output, which has been attributed to the government’s efforts to modernize agricultural methods through Operation Wealth Creation and the Parish Development Model (PDM), which have enhanced the coffee yields and farmers incomes.
The National Agriculture Research Organisation (NARO) embarked on carrying out research to improve the coffee seedlings that can persist through weather changes and produce high yields, which has boosted coffee production in Uganda and made it one of the biggest income earners.
Since the launch of the Emmwanyi Terimba campaign in 2016, it has improved coffee production in Buganda and led to a 35% increase in coffee production. The campaign focused on modern farming practices, encouraging farmers to improve their gardens and use modern techniques of farming, hence improving 30% of Uganda’s total coffee exports.
