By Julius Odeke

11^th April 2011

Left in Green Shirt: Umukuuka Wamimbi

His Highness The Umukuuka [cultural leader] of the Abaamasaba, Wilson Weasa Wamimbi on Saturday 9^th April presided over “the ground breaking” ceremony at the launch of a one million coffee tree planting drive in Bugisu Sub-Region.

The ceremony kicked off around midday at Mutoto cultural ground in Bunghokho county with a call by The Umukuuka to all his subjects to plant new coffee seedlings if they want to prosper in their farming activities.  Dressed in casual attire for the ceremony, Umukuuka Wamimbi said, “…it is coffee that made the Bagisu a rich community in this country.  I worked as a coffee farmer and its advocate when I was in America selling coffee so as to generate revenue for our region”.

Wamimbi added that proceeds from coffee grown in Bugisu region helped Uganda to build educational structures like Teso College, Bukedi College and Sebei College which turned out to be the pillars of education in the country.  “…If we do the same today, it will help us climb a ladder that other regions shall not reach easily because I know how coffee proceeds are so beneficial to a community like us”, he said.

The one million coffee planting drive is being spearheaded by a local coffee buying firm known as Community Organised Farmers From Elgon Escarpement Arabica Coffee Uganda Programme (COFFEE CUP).  The function was attended by coffee farmers from Sebei and Bugisu region as well as farmers from Kenya, Tanzania, and USA.

COFFEE CUP’s Chairman and founder Mr. Mathias Nabutele told the gathered farmers that COFFEE CUP has many agricultural plans that it wants to share with farmers in order to raise coffee farming in the region to greater heights.  “…There are so many minerals like oil, uranium, and gold [to mention a few] that have caused death to people the world over.  But coffee is a peaceful crop that brings a lot of money and does not make farmers to shed blood”, Nabutele said.

He also urged farmers to form groups so as to benefit from the one million seedlings of coffee.  COFFEE CUP, he said, is ready to train farmers who have formed useful farmer groups.  “…So far we have trained 120 farmers in the region and they are now well equipped with new coffee farming technologies. COFFEE CUP wants to see Bagisu farmers living longer without shedding innocent blood the way people in oil rich areas like Libya, Nigeria and some Arab countries are doing today”, Nabutele added.

Nabutele also revealed that he had already signed an agreement with the New York Coffee team who have expressed interest in coming to establish a stock exchange market in Bugisu region to boast the morale of coffee farmers.  The New York team also promised to set up a laboratory that will be used for testing coffee.

His Highness The Umukuuka also handed over a pulpery machine to coffee farmers in Bududa to help them process their coffee locally and sell locally to customers in the country.  END.  Please login to www.ugandacorrespondent.com every Monday to read our top stories and anytime mid-week for our news updates.