Technical Assistance > Projects Overview > Enterprises and TSIs > Uganda Organic Export  Initiative

 

Uganda Organic Export Initiative (UOEXI)

Duration:  2008 - 2009
Location:  Uganda

Uganda’s exports of organic products are an important source of income for many smallholders in the country. The international market for organic products is growing, and the demand for Ugandan organic products exceeds the supply. The goal of UOEXI is to improve the livelihoods of at least 1600 Ugandan families by facilitating their participation in organic markets which will pay a better price for the products they are able to supply.

This goal will be achieved though helping exporters associations  obtain organic certification, supporting them to gain export expertise and then to present them to possible buyers, mainly through participation in the Biofach trade fair – the main global fair for organic products which is held in Nuremberg, Germany in February each year.  ITC and NOGAMU have selected four exporters associations for this project: Good African Coffee, RUCID, KATUKA Development Trust, and Kaliiro Organic Farmers' Association.

Good African Coffee Ltd (GAC)

Good African Coffee is a private Ugandan owned company which started in 2003, and began operating in 2004. It aims to bring quality African coffees to the global market and sharing 50% of its net profits with its farmers through supporting community-based initiatives. The company has its headquarters in Kampala but field operations are carried out in 17 sub-counties within the mountainous Rwenzori region of Kasese district, western Uganda. Approximately 14000 small scale coffee farmers organised in groups of around 50 members each are registered with the company. The contact farmers for the organic project are 3000.

In the month of April the conversion process for these farmers began with the training of some GAC staff as well as 16 sub-county coordinators on Organic agriculture, Smallholder Group Certification and Internal Control Systems.

RUCID

RUCID is an NGO based in Mityana. The organization trains its members, mainly in the area of organic farming, processing, and marketing. It has established a plant for drying and processing fruits such as pineapples, apple banana, mangoes, and jackfruits. RUCID has contracted 120 farmers from Mubende and Kyenjojo district. The company currently produces some 35 kilos a day of dried pineapples and mangos.

KATUKA Development Trust

The Katuka Development Trust groups 5,000 coffee farmers in the central region of Uganda. They have been operating for three years and hope to get around 10 percent of their farms certified as organic this year. Each farm produces 500-700 kilos of coffee per season, with two crops per year.

Kaliiro Organic Farmers' Association

Kaliiro Organic Farmers Association (KOFA) was formed in 2006 from smaller community based groups located in Kabula and Kooki Counties of Lyantonde and Rakai Districts. The association aims to market farmers’ products as an entity, ensuring quality control through internal inspection and meeting market quality and quantity demands. KOFA’s 178 small farms produce 24 tonnes of fresh pineapples a year. They mainly grow apple bananas, pineapples, passion fruits, and coffee.