Coffee is not drought resistant

“Ija (aunt in Ateso, language of Iteso, fourth largest first nation of Uganda), at the onset of the rains this year, I planted 400 coffee seedlings. To date, I have less than 10 seedlings struggling with this heat. True, coffee is not drought resistant, as the experts tell us. Anyway, I have learnt preparation is key – pitting, planting shade and, most importantly, a source of water. I am not giving up yet, just being an internationally traded commodity, coffee is good, though it will come with a lot of work. I think small manageable lots of 10-20 would be a good start for the small land owners. And this is where the cooperative movement would work. My worry is where the extension services are not availed to the locals.”

Commented Change Agent Elyetu in reaction to a video on TikTok in which our Team Leader, Ms. Owaraga Norah, shares her discomfort with the promotion of coffee and cocoa growing in Teso.

In his comment, Elyetu goes further to indicate he is doing as is expected of a CPAR trained self-reliant participatory development (SRPD) change agent an. He wrote:

“I have already written to the District Agriculture Office on the status of diseased citrus in the community.”

Please share this post and help us to amplify Elyetu’s advocacy for the greater good of smallholder farming communities in Serere District in Teso in North-Eastern Uganda.

“The weakest point in our chain is not necessarily at the inspector level, it is at the agricultural extension level at the district local government level. If at the farmer level, the field level, the farmer is aware, is trained, is assisted, is able to identify what would be the barriers to trade, to export of fresh produce, it is very easy for the farmer to minimize losses at that level with the help of extension staff,” Permanent Secretary Vincent R. Rubarema (source).

Elyetu is a beneficiary of the Dr. Paul Hargrave Memorial Centre Human Development Project (2025-2026) that is jointly implemented by CPAR Uganda and Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief.