The Buganda Premier Owek Charles Peter Mayiga has visited National coffee research institute with an aim of finding out how they do research on different types of coffee and get highlights on how to process coffee ingredients and products.
While touring the NACORI in Mukono kituuza, Owek Mayiga encouraged coffee farmers to try as much as they can to earn from their sweet and gave them the techniques to use if they are to earn from the coffee they grow such as planting coffee seeds that are resistant to pests and drought, seeds that respond to different types of soil and regions, applying the proper farming methods for coffee, and working towards adding value to the coffee as this will help them get good quality produce.
Owek Mayiga also noted that the kingdom saw the importance of coffee towards the kingdom and the country’s development that’s why they came up with the idea of initiating Mwanyi Terimba project to encourage people grow coffee and earn a living.
He expressed the need to rely on science to get the best coffee varieties that will give farmers maximum yields. He added that with value addition to coffee, farmers will be able to get good incomes from their coffee and improve on their livelihoods such as taking care of their homesteads, taking their children to school, taking care of their health needs, among others.
The Director of NACORI Dr. Arinaitwe Geofrey expressed the importance of coffee in the country saying that if there was no coffee, the country export and foreign revenue earnings would be 20% lower since coffee contributes over 20% of national GDP.
He appreciated the role Buganda region played towards educating people the importance of coffee in the country 70 years ago and noted that the coffee program of Mwanyi Terimba has helped people to earn from the coffee they grow.
Katikkiro was accompanied by Owek Israel Kazibwe, Sekiboobo, and others.
