07nf-4879 - Ensuring coffee quality and increased price share at farmers level
NUCAFE is an organisation that is actively providing services and support to 600 farmer groups consisting of 30 farmers per group (about 18,000 farmers in total) in Uganda. In the last two years, NUCAFE has provided its members with necessary services. However, it was felt that NUCAFE needed to be more focused and targeted in order to achieve higher level of quality service delivery. The target of NUCAFE in 2007 is to concentrate its work in 8 districts with 20 Farmers Associations/sub counties with an estimated 7,000 farmers distributed in about 200 groups. These selected farmers have shown indication that if supported effectively will be able to market and obtain a premium for good quality to a tune of at least 1,000 MT during the coffee season year 2007. The coffee will be marketed directly to exporters or through the recently established warehouse receipt system. A relationship of trust has been built up with a number of exporters, which is however still fragile. It will be very important to maintain and consolidate this relationship in 2007. In 2007, Nucafe will continue its service delivery in terms of training (of directors and Association and Group leaders) and information dissemination. They will intensify (with a limited number of selected Associations) their market linkage function with more emphasis on quality measurement at Farmers Association's level. Equally important is the implementation of their sustainability strategy (market linkage fees). This should enable Nucafe to become more financially independent.