By Prossy Nandudu
As Uganda prepares to host the second G-25 coffee summit, stakeholders in the coffee sector plan to push for more benefits from consumers of Africa’s coffee for African coffee farmers.
One of the benefits according to Joseph Nkandu, the executive director of the National Union of Coffee Agribusinesses and Farm Enterprises (NUCAFE) could be that 20% of what Africa’s coffee benefits international markets, is ploughed back into the coffee sector in Africa.
He explained that when the 20% is ploughed back, the money will be invested in value addition and sustainability of the coffee production. This will stimulate production while earning farmers a premium price of their coffee, said Nkandu in an interview on Wednesday.
And for farmers to benefit from the four-day conference, Nkandu advised farmers to market their value added products through organized groups.
The second G25 Africa Coffee Summit set for 7th to 10th August, that will take place at Speke Resort Munyonyo, will run under the theme Transforming African coffee sector Through Value Addition.
Organized by the International Coffee Organization (IACO), Uganda Development Authority (UCDA) and the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), the summit will attract 25 coffee growing countries.
Issues to be discussed include gathering consensus on the declaration of coffee as an anchor commodity in the African Union in harmony with Africa Agenda 2063;
Promote value addition and domestic consumption by educating people about coffee and its benefits to health
Expand regional coffee trade under the Framework of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area and
Share knowledge about the imminent danger of climate change possess to coffee as well as the effect of Covid 19 on the coffee sector from seed to cup among others.
