Less than three months after the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) was dissolved and its functions merged into the Ministry of Agriculture, illegal activities have emerged in the coffee sector.
The UCDA’s dissolution was part of the government’s Rationalization of Government Agencies and Public Expenditure (RAPEX) policy, aimed at streamlining agencies to reduce redundancy and optimize public spending. Despite strong public opposition, including resistance from Members of Parliament, coffee farmers, and the general public, the government moved forward with the merger.
Opponents of the dissolution warned that removing UCDA would negatively affect the coffee sector’s progress. However, the government, led by President Museveni, defended the decision, labeling UCDA as a “parasitic agency” and asserting that its functions were no longer necessary.
Now, with illegal practices impacting the industry, the long-term effects of the UCDA’s removal remain a point of concern.
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