4 minute read
Coffee consumption is on the rise
Gerald Katabazi, the Chief Executive Officer of Volcano Coffee cafeteria, prepares to make coffee. Katabazi is keen on promoting coffee consumption in Uganda.
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Boasting Coffee Consumption: Josephine Aloyo, a barrister trained by Inspire Africa, serving guests coffee at a mobile Tuku tuku cafe.
“In the ’60s and ’70s coffee was being processed the informal way, there were no good roasters or brewing equipment besides, they were outdated, hence the low consumption then,” Katabazi explained.
He explains further that, in present times, the trend has changed, with an increase in technology. “We are investing in technology like the use of modern roasters coupled with training of primary producers of coffee beans so as to produce quality beans,” he added. “In terms of quality, we work with farmers to make sure that the beans that will be roasted are not diseased, are properly dried, clean and are given time to mature so as to get the best coffee,” he explained.
“At brewing stage, we are not taking chances, we as VOLCANO coffee are investing in continuous training of roasters, putting in place Standard Operating Procedures coupled with feedback surveys,” he added. With the above initiatives, Katabazi believes that domestic consumption will increase from 2% 14 years ago to 7% today due to accelerated good practices.
Despite the progress registered by VOLCANO coffee, Katabazi is calling for investment into skilled labour especially for people adding value to coffee so as to have quality ready to sell coffee in Uganda, before selling abroad.
Countrywide sensitization campaign
Katabazi’s views are not too far from Yusuf Nsibambi, the Proprietor of Gator’s Café on Masaka road. Nsibambi believes there has been an increase in domestic coffee consumption but at a level that Ugandans should not be proud of.
According to him, there is still a need for a countrywide sensitization campaign to encourage people to get involved in especially value addition of coffee.
“When they learn the value of coffee away from the garden, there will be an increase in production, farmers will have an assured market of the coffee beans and household incomes will increase. That also means we in the market will have a constant supply of good quality beans,” said Nsibambi.
For those having coffee drinking outlets, Nsibambi said they still lack genuine suppliers of good coffee equipment like brewing, roasting among others, that can churn out instant coffee for consumption in a short time.
This has been made harder with limited skilled labour or barristers, roasters. “We again have a challenge of human resource, where a few
Sensitization: UCDA officials serve coffee to MPs and Parliament staff. Sensitization campaign encourage people to get involved in coffee especially value addition.
that are trained on the job are easily poached, they find their way to the Middle East, so there is lack of stability in terms of human resource to run these outlets,” added Nsibambi.
Despite the challenges, Nsibambi said there is a growing demand for Ugandan coffee both by Ugandans and tourists.
He gave an example of his outlet on Masaka road, and that of his neighbour, Endiiro coffee that is frequented by tourists daily, demanding coffee. His appeal to UCDA is to supply those operating coffee outlets with quality coffee dispensers, to increase consumption.
The above are examples of initiatives by the private sector aimed at increasing domestic coffee production and consumption.
Other private sector players in the same field include Nelson Tugume from Inspire Africa, who believes that the promotion of domestic coffee consumption calls for the involvement of women and youth along the value chain. According to Tugume, empowering youth with skills in coffee processing and marketing will increase consumption; adding that his organisation, working with partners like the Mastercard foundation, and private sector foundation, have developed packages to draw the women and youth closer to coffee.
For youth, they have introduced tricycles through which they can sell coffee from place to place at UGX 2,000. So far 6500 youth, 35% of which are women have embraced the coffee vending business.
And because the initiative is to encourage youth to embrace coffee not only for consumption but as a source of income, Tugume says they will support some to acquire the tricycle which goes for between UGX 5 to UGX 8 billion.
Yusuf Nsibambi, Proprietor Gator’s Café
Nelson Tugume, Inspire Africa
Benefits of domestic coffee consumption to Uganda
To Ugandans, increased domestic coffee consumption means more jobs for the youth who will be setting up coffee shops at different points in the city, it is estimated that 60% of youth are unemployed according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
Domestic coffee consumption means increasing production so Uganda can increase coffee exports which according to figures from the Uganda Coffee Development Authority, increased from 3.56 million bags in 2015-2016 to 4.17 million 60kgs in 2018-2019.
Away from economic benefits, coffee, according to the executive director of the NUCAFE, is good for one’s health, keeps one alert and also helps in checking the condition of the heart.
