The center ’s operations are estimated to directly impact over 1,000,000 coffee growing households within Uganda alone.
One national office and laboratory will be established within Kampala and four (4) regional centers at strategic locations across the country. The implementation of the project will start mid-2014 with a minimum of fourteen (14) microcenters supported by extension officers.
A goal has been set to increase production of fine Robusta coffee to 10% within the next three years.
The economic impact of the Center is estimated to directly or indirectly create as many as 300 full time positions and 250,000 part time jobs by 2015.
Uganda and Robusta
- Coffee is Uganda’s primary export crop, valued at more than US$400,000,000 annually, or twenty percent (20%) of its total export value.
- There are more than 1.5 million coffee-farming households in Uganda, giving it an economic and cultural significance unlike any other in the country and making coffee particularly vital to food security in rural communities.
- Eighty percent (80%) of all coffee grown in Uganda is Robusta.
- Uganda is the origin of Robusta coffee (Coffea canephora), Robusta itself is one genetic parent of Arabica (Coffea arabica).
- Uganda pioneered development of the Q Robusta system in cooperation with the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI).
- Robusta coffee can yield over 3 tons per hectare (6,613 lbs / ha or 2,677 lbs / acre) using best agricultural practices.
- Whereas Arabica coffee is self-pollinating, Robusta is a cross-pollinating species, meaning that it evolves through natural selection to best take advantage of local conditions. Subsequently, Robusta populations have widely diverse genetics, which remain largely unknown, many existing only within Uganda.
- Robusta generally grows at optimal temperatures of 2-3 deg C. higher than Arabica, meaning that it can thrive at lower elevation. Ugandan Robusta grows at elevations ranging between 1100-1500 masl (3,600 – 5,000 ft).
- Robusta is less susceptible to many coffee pests and diseases, including Coffee Leaf Rust (La Roya) Hemileia vastratix
- Uganda is among the few major producers of Robusta that have two major harvest seasons in year.
