Lugari Member of Parliament Nabii Nabwera has reaffirmed his commitment to enhancing coffee production in the constituency through supporting local farmers.
He made the commitment at Maturu Friends Church during a consultative forum that brought together farmers’ Community Based Organizations and SACCOs aimed at introducing coffee farming in the constituency.
The lawmaker pledged to champion the transformation of the constituency’s Agriculture sector by donating over 20 million seedlings to farmers who are ready to venture into coffee growing.
He said, “Let this meeting mark a significant step towards fostering agricultural growth and economic empowerment in Lugari.
“I am going to personally lead from the front by planting coffee in all my farms in the constituency.
“I urge my fellow farmers to seize this opportunity and embrace coffee farming. Currently coffee is second after oil in terms of wealth generation. Kindly, let us use this opportunity and benefit from this initiative.
“We have been depending on maize and sugarcane for many years but we have never benefitted, and neither have they changed our lives in terms of wealth creation. But this time, trust me, coffee will transform our lives.”
Nabwera advised the respective SACCOs to transform themselves into cooperatives in order to have bigger bargaining power when selling their farm products.
He said sugar cane farmers have suffered for long in the hands of millers because they have refused to be in Saccos.
“There is a need for you to establish value chain cooperatives or composite cooperatives at the ward level to enhance efficiency and maximize benefits for all stakeholders.”
“By strengthening cooperative structures and embracing coffee farming, we shall be paving the way for a more prosperous and self-sustaining farming community.
“If you choose to go to the potential buyers of your farm products as individual SACCOs, the buyers will prefer dealing directly with the farmers.” He said adding that once the SACCOs have heeded his advice he will work on their empowerment both in terms of capacity building and financial resources.
Former Sango Ward representative Kennedy Kilwake who is now the lead champion of coffee farming in western region urged farmers to embrace coffee farming in order to transform their livelihoods.
He said, “We urge farmers to take advantage of the opportunity the Member of Parliament has offered by preparing their farms in advance.
“Besides the Member of Parliament’s donation of coffee seedlings the national government, in partnership with several agricultural organizations, will also provide free seedlings to ensure that every farmer willing to grow coffee benefits.”
Mbagara Farmers Cooperatives Society vice chairperson Felix Wanjala thanked the Member of Parliament for spearheading the coffee-growing initiative.
By Melechezedeck Ejakait
