KAMPALA– The Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) today announced the establishment of the first training and research institution dedicated solely to the advancement of fine Robusta.
Fine Robusta is a premium quality distinction for the species, analogous to the specialty tier of the more celebrated Arabica coffee species.
The Center of Robusta Excellence (CORE) is a cooperative effort between UCDA and the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI), financed by the Agribusiness Initiative Trust (aBi).
The initiative will bring together members of the regional African and international coffee community with a charter to carry out applied research and education that increases quality and the differentiated value of fine Robusta.
“Uganda is where Robusta originated, which is why we will lead this global effort,” commented UCDA Managing Director Henry Ngabirano.
“Through CORE, we aim to achieve excellence with innovation that will lead to not only better Robusta quality but also knowledge that can be used to the benefit of all coffee cultivated worldwide and its farmers.”
CORE programs will focus on the improvement of cup quality, study of new or unexplored landraces of Robusta and strategies for increasing productivity and value.
Varieties discovered and new practices developed by CORE are expected to offer a new generation of Robusta to the coffee industry and its consumers – one with dramatically better flavor and more applications than currently exist.
Preliminary planning for the center is already underway with opening date anticipated in 2015.
To learn more about the CORE project and its initiatives visit http://ugandacoffee.org and meet UCDA staff at this month’s SCAA Event in Seattle at Booth #7035.
Join UCDA to sample award-winning Robusta and Arabica coffees in the SCAA Cupping Exchange room #620 on Sunday, April 27 from 10:15 AM to Noon.
About the Uganda Coffee Development Authority
UCDA was founded as a public Authority in 1991 by an act of the Parliament of Uganda with the mandate to oversee and promote the country’s coffee industry.
In its role, UCDA supports research, promotes best agricultural practices, sets and oversees quality standards and markets Ugandan coffee abroad to maximize value and household income for farmers.
