The little coffee plantation at Isunga Community was across the road from the tea plantation we visited earlier. Uganda ranks second in Africa and eighth in global coffee production. The country grows Robusta and Arabica coffee at a ratio of 4:1. Accounting for 10% of global coffee farms, an estimated 1.7 million Ugandan households grow coffee. Coffee is commonly intercropped with bananas and other food crops. In 2018/2019, annual coffee production was 6.95 million 60-kg bags worth US$416 million.
A coffee plantation’s first harvest takes about 24 to 36 months to realize, depending on the planting materials and management practices. However, this also depends on the type/variety, as cuttings tend to establish and yield faster than the elite. Additionally, an advanced farmer who employs proper agronomic practices such as fertilizer application, pruning, and pest and disease control will earn higher profits than the traditional farmer.
Parking location – Isunga: 0.493184N 30.333254E (🚻)