Project
Prosperity smells like fresh coffee
Climate change can have a devastating impact on the livelihood in Uganda, as there are 1.6 million Ugandan farmers that grow coffee.
Ugandan coffee farmers have the potential to earn more money following a project to help them produce high-quality coffee for export from climate-resilient crops.
July 13, 2017
- SDG: #12, #13
- SECTORS: Development Consulting
- COUNTRIES: Uganda
- DONOR: Nordic Climate Facility (NCF, sixth call, initiated by NDF)
- DURATION: 1 January 2017 - 30 November 2020
Climate change is a real threat to coffee farming: With a temperature increase of 2°C, Uganda´s National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPA) estimates that the total area suitable for growing Robusta coffee would be dramatically reduced. This can have a devastating impact on the livelihood of Ugandans, as there are approximately 1.6 million Ugandan farmers that grow coffee.
If Ugandan coffee farmers do not change their farming practices, their yield and income can decrease significantly because of climate change. The Improving climate resilience for small scale coffee farming systems in Uganda, through modelling of adaptation and mitigation potential in the coffee value chain project trained small-scale farmers on both climate change adaptation and mitigation practices: Firstly, how to protect coffee plants from the effects of climate change, and secondly, how to reduce emissions in the coffee production.
Ugandan coffee to be served in cafés around the world
Ending in November 2020, this project empowered Ugandan coffee farmers to gain a better profit through value addition of their coffee beans. By processing their coffee beans into a high-quality coffee instead of selling unprocessed beans to intermediate coffee buyers, the farmers will manifold increase their revenue.
This approach is called Farmer Ownership Model, that increases farmers’ independence in the value chain and makes sure that more income stay with the small-scale coffee farmers.
The project paves the way for Ugandan coffee to be sold in cafés and grocery stores around the world: A specialty coffee brand will be developed and presented to global buyers.
The project empowers Ugandan coffee farmers to gain a better profit through value addition of their coffee beans
Coffee farmers were supported in three ways:
- Climate change adaptation: For example, planting an extra row of trees to limit erosion, serve as a shade and to sequester carbon.
- Climate change mitigation: Decreasing emissions by improving the energy efficiency of production facilities.
- Increase farmer income and independence: Training farmers in coffee farming management to increase productivity.
A climate-smart coffee sector in Uganda also plays a role in the international efforts to combat climate change: It contributes to fulfill Uganda’s commitment to the Paris Agreement (UNFCCC).
Around 2000 farmers trained
- Local partner: National Union of Coffee Agribusiness and Farm Enterprises Ltd (NUCAFE)
A climate-smart coffee sector in Uganda also plays a role in the international efforts to combat climate change: It contributes to fulfill Uganda’s commitment to the Paris Agreement (UNFCCC).