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Coffee farmers in Kyotera district are facing a wave of thefts that threaten their livelihoods and the district’s reputation as a top coffee producer.
Villages such as Kachanga, Bukala and Ndolo have become hotspots for night raids, with thieves targeting farms, leaving farmers devastated.
Amos Ngerimana, a farmer from Kachanga, described the situation as dire. “The thieves come at night and steal our coffee, leaving us with nothing despite the efforts we put into agriculture,” he lamented.
Farmers are now calling for urgent intervention. Kato Musa, another affected farmer, emphasized the need for better security: “We need the police and even the UPDF to help us guard our farms at night. This is the only way we can protect our coffee.”
Kyotera, ranked among the top 10 coffee producing districts in Uganda in the 2023/24 season, recorded a production of 44,360 bags of coffee, according to the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA).
However, escalating thefts threaten to derail this success and tarnish the district’s reputation.
Minister of State for Microfinance Kyeyune Haruna Kasolo, who is also a prominent coffee farmer in the district, promised decisive action.
“As the largest coffee farmer in this district, I cannot stand by and watch farmers suffer losses. We must work together to tackle this problem,” he said.
The crisis escalated last week when a suspected coffee thief was killed in Ndolo village, raising tensions and fears among locals.
With the price of coffee in Uganda at Shs15,000 per kilogram – an increase of Shs3,000 from last year – the stakes for farmers are higher than ever.
Many fear that continued thefts will not only reduce their income but also disrupt the district’s economic progress.
Farmers are urging the government to deploy more security personnel to protect their farms.
They hope that quick action will restore peace and allow them to focus on continuously boosting Kyotera’s coffee production.
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