Govt intends to make Lamwo a coffee-growing district

Lamwo | Lamwo district is preparing for a historic agricultural shift in a joint initiative between the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) and the Lamwo District Production and Marketing Department.

Plans are underway to introduce clonal coffee as a major cash crop in the district, a move that could transform livelihoods and reshape the district’s agricultural identity.

The project is part of Uganda’s national coffee development strategy, which aims to increase annual coffee exports to 20 million 60-kg bags by 2030.

Lamwo has now been identified as one of the new frontiers for coffee production in the northern region.

According to agricultural experts from MAAIF and Lamwo district production and marketing department, Lamwo’s selection is not by chance.

The Lamwo district agricultural officer, Komakech Richard Cyrus, said the district’s high altitude, averaging between 1,050 and 1,300 meters above sea level, provides an ideal climate for arabica and Cronol-type coffee varieties.

Komakech said the soils predominantly sandy loam and volcanic in some areas have the right drainage and nutrient profile for healthy coffee root systems.

Rainfall patterns in Lamwo, ranging from 1,200 to 1,500 mm annually, match the Ministry’s recommended water availability for coffee growth.

These conditions mean Lamwo farmers have a competitive advantage if they adopt coffee now,” says Komakech Richard, Agricultural officer Lamwo district.

Muhenda Patrick Agaba, the production and marketing Officer of the district, said under the plan, MAAIF will supply certified coffee seedlings, provide irrigation support in drier sub-counties, and station extension workers to train farmers on pruning, pest control, and post-harvest handling.

He said the district government will coordinate farmer mobilization, field demonstrations, and market linkages.

Agaba adds that over 400 farmers have already been recruited, and 1,000 acres are ready for the pilot phase.

“This is a carefully designed intervention,” Agaba says. “We are combining science, farmer knowledge, and government investment to ensure Lamwo doesn’t just grow coffee, we grow quality coffee for export.”

For many farmers, the project represents more than a new crop, it’s a chance at economic stability. Margaret Lamwaka, a farmer from Lokung sub-county, recalls years of selling maize at unstable prices.

“With maize, the market changes every week. Coffee stays for many years and gives you money every season once it starts producing,” she says, adding that she is going plant acres as her trial plot depending on the seedlings.

Rose Aber, a widow from Lamwo Town council, says the government’s backing gave her confidence.

Aber said that she has already prepared two acres for a coffee plantation because the expert told them that even if prices drop, they will help them find buyers.

“I see this as a long-term plan, not a one season gamble,” said Aber

Okot Denis, a farmer in Padibe town council, views the project as a job creator.

Okot said when coffee starts producing, they will need people for harvesting, drying, grading, and transporting. “It will keep young people busy and earning here in Lamwo instead of migrating to towns,” he add.

The Ministry’s roadmap for Lamwo goes beyond cultivation. Plans are underway to establish small-scale processing facilities so that farmers can earn more from value addition before the coffee leaves the district.

There are also talks with private sector players to set up a Lamwo Coffee Cooperative Union to strengthen bargaining power and ensure fair prices once the project commences.

Agaba says this vision could place Lamwo on the same footing as coffee-famous districts like Bugisu and Kasese.

“We want ‘Lamwo Coffee’ to become a brand. In a few years, buyers in Europe and Asia should be asking for it by name,” he says.

As the rains continue in the region, farmers across the district are advised to be busy preparing fields, marking rows, and wait for planting seedlings once it reaches the district.

According to the district production and marketing department, this is not just another planting season, it is the start of what could be Lamwo’s most important agricultural transformation in decades.