UGANDA COOPERATIVE ALLIANCE HOSTS CAPACITY-BUILDING TRAINING FOR COFFEE VALUE CHAIN COOPERATIVES
Kampala, March 30, 2026. Uganda Cooperative Alliance (UCA) today convened a one-day capacity-building training for coffee value chain cooperatives from the Mid-West, Western, and Central regions of Uganda. Held at the UCA Head Office on Nkruma Road, the session focused on strengthening cooperative performance in production, quality assurance, and market access.
The training covered critical areas including cooperative business modeling, coffee quality control, certification and standardization, and market positioning through digital platforms.
CPA Ivan Asiimwe UCA General Secretary, challenged cooperatives to conduct a thorough assessment of their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
He identified a decline in market share driven by a lack of innovation, poor governance, limited finance, weak customer service, and low member returns. He stressed that cooperatives must professionalize and institutionalize processes to achieve sustainable results, urging participants to diversify their products, strengthen marketing, and adopt modern business practices.
Mr Abubaker Bakulumpagi Principal Certification Officer a representative from the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) delivered a strong message on consistency, warning that permits would be suspended or withdrawn if standards are not maintained. The session detailed the certification process, emphasizing the need for robust food safety and quality management systems, supported by regular surveillance audits.
Mr. Ekunyu Richard: a representative from MAAIF said Consistency in quality is non-negotiable for farmers seeking reliable market access and premium prices. As Mr. Ekunyu Richard’s advice makes clear, attention to detail from the moment of harvest through to final storage pays significant dividends. By adopting selective picking, maintaining hygiene during processing, and following proper storage protocols, farmers can protect their hard work and secure better returns for their coffee.
Dr. Martin Mbonye of Cablinks Establishment Ltd highlighted the immense market potential, noting his company’s current export of 10-20 containers monthly to China, with plans to scale to 50 containers. He pointed to China's annual coffee consumption of 240,000 metric tonnes nearly half of Uganda’s total output as a significant opportunity. To seize this, he stressed the need to boost production both horizontally (expanding land under coffee) and vertically (increasing yields per tree), noting that only 30% of farmers belong to organizations and access to fertilizer remains low at 16%.
Ms. Mary Mwesigwa from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (MTIC) introduced participants to the Uganda Trade Portal, a digital resource offering step-by-step guidance on export-import procedures for first-time traders.
Mr. Mpakiibi, the Assistant Registrar of Cooperatives, encouraged cooperatives to utilize available government financing and to invest in the National Cooperative Bank. He reinforced the call for unity and adherence to quality standards, reminding attendees that both UCA and MTIC offices are open for support.
Mr. Deogratius Masagazi, Under Secretary at MTIC, served as the chief guest and underscored coffee’s vital role as Uganda is Africa’s second-largest producer. He reiterated that quality is a process, beginning from the garden, and called for clear membership terms within cooperatives to ensure all members can connect to better markets. He concluded by affirming that UCA and MTIC will continue advocating for policies that support value addition, governance, and market expansion.
Key Takeaway
Speakers across the board agreed that while immense demand exists for Ugandan coffee in China, Europe, and Asia, meeting stringent UNBS and MAAIF quality standards is essential. UCA emphasized that the time to act is now, urging cooperatives to innovate, collaborate, and professionalize to capture these global market opportunities.
