African Fine Coffees Review Special Edition Oct-Dec - EAFCA

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22 SPECIAL REPORTS Uganda Quality Coffee Traders Moves To Act. It is not un-common to find someone else to blame whenever a problem occurs in our lives or business. It even gets more complex if the numbers of players are in different locations and at diverse stages, making it even harder to point a finger on where the bark starts and stops. This scenario floated over the minds of most industry players about the idea of closing gaps in Uganda’s coffee quality value chain. Motivated by the desire to improve quality through sustainable and coordinated arrangement, the Uganda Quality Coffee Traders and Processors Association was born. A confluence of main traders, middlemen, farmer representatives and exporters giving a mix that is a perfect dressing for the occasion. The association seeks to supplement UCDA`s statutory mandate of ensuring total quality management of the coffee product and process throughout the supply chain. Hardly a year since its birth, the association has taken giant steps in both achievements and partnerships, boasting of over 1500 registered members and development partners. In a ground breaking countrywide tour, in partnership with UCDA, USAID-Lead project, Uganda Police, local leaders and farmers, the association generated deep sense of stakeholder responsibility towards quality and quantity improvement. The discussion centered on addressing the core issues such as coffee quality deterioration indicators, Changes in the Ugandan coffee quality trends, Methods and ways of preserving quality, Incentives of quality produced especially increased prices and value, Constitutional & regulatory framework on coffee quality control, Disadvantages of poor quality produce and also GAP (Good Agronomic Practices). During the sensitization workshop Mr. Ssekitoreko a coffee farmer in Masaka district since late 90’s, enumerated how he carefully sorts and minds his quality, but despite his individual efforts, his neighbors out of a mixture of ignorance and lack of incentive don’t pay full attention to their crop which in the end ruins Mr Ssekitoreko’s coffee, as middle men would bulk these coffees and even at times adulterate with foreign matter. Harvesting of immature, unripe cherries, poor drying methods, poor processing techniques were all key factors Scaling up quality coffee production in Uganda Beans from the Pearl affecting the quality and production of coffee at the farm level. “The story of Ssekitoreko is played out through the value chain where different players shift the blame to a third party highlighting the gravity of the quality crisis.” According to Mr. Aloysius Lubega the chairman of the association. With this association a practical conversation has been started and the industry seems to be shaking off the blame game, as each of tiers in the value is involved in action to improve Uganda’s coffee quantity and quality. To the much delight of the founders, Mr Edmund Kananura the head of quality at Uganda Coffee Development Authority has resonated well with the cause and after a few months UCDA has presided over a turn around of Drugar coffee from Kasese restoring its superb cup profile and total elimination of Robusta traces. But here is the real question: could this association present a different kind of opportunity, one that disperses power into the hands of the many rather than consolidating it in the hands of the few; one that radically expands the We, rather than Them? In short, could UQCTPA be the beginning of A People’s Quality improvement answer? Recent results are pointing to a brighter future and the industry could have woken yet another sleeping actor. By Michael Nuwagaba About Beans from the pearl In this blog, our correspondents report on the developments with Uganda, better known famously by the name given to it by Sir Winston Churchill - “The Pearl of Africa”
Meeting Uganda’s Three time National Champion and the 3rd African Barista Challenge Champion Champions Of Africa In October 2012, I had interview with Robert Mbabazi at Emin Pasha Hotel in Kampala. Robert was as usual as distracted as a child in a shop full of toys. He was conducting an training for Barista’s at the hotel and with Robert, coffee comes first and passionately so. Qn. Tell us about yourself? I am a 26 year old professional Coffee Quality Controller and Barista Consultant with cross-functional expertise in business and restaurant management with over six years in the field. I have substantial work experience in all aspects of the coffee industry including green coffee bean grading, roasting, cupping, marketing, and barista skills and training. I have also received certifications in various courses including being a licensed ‘Q’ grader, a Specialty Arabica coffee grader meeting international SCAA standards. Qn. What got you into Coffee? My coffee adventure began back in 2006 when a friend invited me to go spend a few weeks at his coffee farm in Eastern Uganda. It’s here on the slopes of Mt. Elgon, with its majestic scenery; I had my first glimpse of flowering coffee trees and immediately set out to spend all my time interacting with the farming community. Their hard work and effort to grow and produce quality coffee, with very little reward, was all I needed to give me the motivation to learn all I could about coffee. Back in Kampala, I immediately signed up for the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) training program in basic coffee quality control and barista skills, and thanks to some great professional coffee training from experts around the world, I was determined to become a professional Barista. Qn. How did it feel to be crowned the Champion of Africa? Being crowned the Africa Barista Champion was the epitome of my Barista Career, especially after winning the challenge at the source and birthplace of coffee (Ethiopia). As a coffee Barista, I could never ask for more, I wish to continue using my title to promote domestic consumption of coffee in my country and also to inspire the youth into doing something creative with their lives. 23
Page 1: The Sleeping Giant Awakes Oct - Nov
Page 4 and 5: 4 Editorial Team Editors Samuel Kam
Page 6 and 7: 6 Guest of Honour - Minister of Agr
Page 9 and 10: AFCA Presents the African Coffee Ou
Page 11 and 12: JETRO and AFCA partner for 4th Coff
Page 13 and 14: PROJECT ON BUILDING CAPACITY IN COF
Page 15 and 16: The Coffee Partnership for Tanzania
Page 17: Cameroon Stakeholders Crusade for B
Page 20 and 21: 20 VISA and Travel Information for
Page 24 and 25: 24 Robert Mbabazi, The 3rd African
Page 26 and 27: 26 The Sleeping Giant Awakes As Uga
Page 28 and 29: 28 Hima will provide 42,000 farmers
Page 31 and 32: In addition to the above, after 192
Page 34 and 35: 34 Know your Blogs Beans from the P
Page 36 and 37: 36 Under the Hood In this blog, our
Page 38 and 39: 38 Sustainable Coffee Areas in Ugan
Page 40 and 41: 40 Kenya: Kenya has seen stagnated
Page 42 and 43: 42 Zimbabwe Zimbabwean coffee has a
Page 44 and 45: 44 coffee yields.Baker and Haggar (
Page 46 and 47: 46 Nestlé and Coffee Management Se

African Fine Coffees Review Special Edition Oct-Dec - EAFCA

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