EXPORT BOOST! NEW ACADEMY TO RESCUE UGANDA’S COFFEE, COCOA TRADERS

By Evans Najuna
KAMPALA — Uganda’s coffee, cocoa and other agricultural exporters could soon get a major boost following the launch of Control Union Academy Uganda, an initiative aimed at equipping farmers, traders and agribusiness professionals with the skills needed to meet international standards and penetrate lucrative global markets.

For years, Ugandan exporters have faced challenges meeting international certification requirements, product quality standards, packaging specifications and sustainability demands, limiting their competitiveness in foreign markets.

But stakeholders in agriculture and trade believe the new academy could help bridge the knowledge gap, improve product quality, strengthen compliance and unlock new export opportunities for Ugandan businesses.

The academy was launched on Thursday at Fairway Hotel in Kampala, attracting government officials, agricultural experts, coffee and cocoa producers, exporters and representatives of the National Organic Agricultural Movement of Uganda (NOGAMU), among other stakeholders.

Operating as the learning and development platform of Control Union Uganda, the academy will provide specialised training, workshops, webinars and capacity-building programmes to help businesses understand certification requirements, international standards and emerging sustainability expectations.

The initiative is guided by the vision of becoming a leading provider of professional learning and capacity-building solutions that promote sustainable, compliant and responsible businesses in Uganda and beyond.

Organisers said the academy would equip farmers, businesses, producer organisations, students and institutions with practical knowledge to improve performance, meet regulatory requirements and achieve sustainable growth.

RWABOGOOGOO SOUNDS EXPORT ALARM

Delivering the keynote address, Odrek Rwabwogo, Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (PACEID), challenged Ugandan businesses to prioritise exports, arguing that excessive reliance on the domestic market could limit the country’s economic growth.

Rwabwogo welcomed the establishment of the academy, describing it as an intervention addressing a critical gap in Uganda’s efforts to improve its export performance.

He noted that countries seeking meaningful economic transformation must look beyond their domestic markets and build the capacity to compete internationally.

“An economy that is not able to sell to other markets is an economy that is intended to remain poor,” he said.

Rwabwogo argued that Uganda needed to strengthen its export capacity, improve product quality and understand the requirements of international buyers if it was to generate greater returns from its agricultural potential.

He outlined key priorities for businesses seeking to penetrate foreign markets, including conducting market research, understanding consumer tastes and preferences, improving packaging and investing in product awareness and advertising.

He also emphasised the importance of establishing trade representation in international markets through independent private-sector players who can identify buyers and connect Ugandan producers to potential customers.

According to Rwabwogo, such arrangements could help businesses discover opportunities in foreign markets without relying exclusively on expensive government-led trade missions.

He said Control Union Academy Uganda could help address some of these challenges by equipping businesses with the knowledge required to comply with international standards and certification requirements.

The PACEID chairman urged Ugandan producers to recognise that producing quality goods was only part of the export equation; businesses must also understand their markets and position their products competitively.

OWC BOSS PUSHES COMMERCIAL FARMING

The Deputy Chief Coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), Brig. Gen. Godfrey Muwanguzi, commended the academy’s founders for what he described as a well-thought-out initiative.

Representing OWC Chief Coordinator Gen. Salim Saleh, Muwanguzi said Uganda needed to transform its agricultural sector from subsistence production into commercial farming capable of generating household incomes, savings and national wealth.

He recalled that when OWC was introduced, some people questioned the involvement of soldiers in agricultural development, but said the programme’s role had become clearer over time.

“As soldiers, we are commanded to do the right things, and we are trained to say what is important,” he said.

Muwanguzi urged Ugandans to move beyond farming merely to feed their families and instead embrace production that generates surplus income and supports economic growth.

He cited the Parish Development Model (PDM) as one of the government initiatives intended to improve household incomes and promote economic empowerment.

He encouraged communities to understand the programme’s requirements and opportunities, arguing that better knowledge of government interventions would enable more Ugandans to benefit.

Muwanguzi also highlighted the importance of community-level structures in mobilising people and ensuring that information about government programmes reaches households.

He cited the example of a woman in Kawempe who, according to him, had benefited from PDM funding by using the money productively.

He urged farmers and entrepreneurs to embrace government programmes, adding that Uganda’s abundant human resources could drive transformation if properly mobilised.

Muwanguzi further challenged urban residents who depend on begging to embrace productive economic activities.

He said Uganda needed a mindset shift that encourages citizens to work, invest and participate in wealth creation rather than depend on handouts.

AGRICULTURE MINISTRY PLEDGES SUPPORT

The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) pledged support for the academy, describing specialised training as an important component of Uganda’s agricultural transformation agenda.

The ministry’s Assistant Commissioner for Coffee Quality Assurance and Value Addition, Gordon Katwiirenabo, welcomed the initiative and promised the ministry’s support.

However, he challenged the academy to pay particular attention to the cost of sustainability requirements and certification services, warning that such services needed to remain affordable and accessible to businesses.

Katwiirenabo also called for stronger collaboration with accreditation bodies.

He questioned why Ugandan businesses should have to rely on institutions in countries such as the United States for certain accreditation services when local capacity could be strengthened.

His remarks highlighted the need to balance international certification requirements with the financial realities facing local producers and exporters.

Meanwhile, the chief guest, Agriculture Minister Frank Tumwebaze, was represented by Dr. Mary Teddy Asio, Assistant Commissioner for Seed Inspection and Certification at MAAIF.

Asio said the academy’s focus on specialised, tailor-made training rather than generic programmes aligned with the ministry’s ambition to transform agriculture into a key driver of food security, household incomes and economic development.

She noted that government was pursuing agricultural transformation through industrialisation under the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV), alongside continental frameworks such as the Kampala Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Declaration.

According to Asio, the country’s priorities include promoting value addition, shifting smallholder farmers from subsistence production to commercial agriculture, strengthening agro-processing and encouraging domestic production of commodities that Uganda imports.

She also emphasised the need to promote climate-smart agriculture, organic production and sustainable farming practices.

Asio warned that climate change, recurrent droughts, floods, pests and diseases were increasingly threatening agricultural production, disrupting markets and undermining food security.

She said agricultural transformation must go beyond increasing production to address the entire agrifood value chain, including processing, trade, financing, innovation, nutrition and consumption.

EXPORT EARNINGS RISE

Asio said Uganda had registered growth in export earnings over the past decade, with agricultural commodities such as coffee, cocoa, dairy products, fish, tea, maize, fruits and vegetables contributing to the country’s export performance.

She nevertheless stressed that the country needed to sustainably increase agricultural production and productivity to meet growing domestic and international demand.

The ministry, she said, was implementing interventions aimed at strengthening the sector, including improved seed quality, inspection and certification, counterfeit agricultural input control, pest and disease management, mechanisation, irrigation and farmer education.

Other priorities include extension services, partnerships with commercial farmers, fisheries and aquaculture development, and strategic investments in commodities such as oil palm.

Asio said the interventions required effective coordination between government, the private sector and other stakeholders to ensure that investments deliver measurable results.

She welcomed the establishment of Control Union Academy Uganda, saying its specialised training and advisory services could help farmers, agribusiness entrepreneurs and consumers improve production quality and profitability.

She urged the academy to establish clear key performance indicators, collect reliable data and maintain regular communication with the ministry regarding its progress and support requirements.

Asio also emphasised the importance of ensuring that smallholder farmers, women, young people, pastoralists and small and medium-sized enterprises are not left behind as regional and international markets expand.

She said government remained committed to creating an enabling environment through appropriate policies, regulatory frameworks and partnerships that support a resilient and competitive agricultural sector.

ORGANIC FARMING GAINS MOMENTUM

Speaking to our reporter after the launch, NOGAMU Chief Executive Officer Chariton Namuwoza, who also serves as president of the Africa Organic Movement, said the academy’s establishment was timely given the growing importance of organic agriculture and sustainability in international trade.

Namuwoza said NOGAMU had worked closely with government for about 20 years to promote organic agriculture, contributing to the eventual adoption and approval of Uganda’s National Organic Agriculture Policy in 2019 after years of engagement.

He said the country’s organic agriculture sector had registered substantial growth, with the number of certified farmers increasing significantly over the years.

According to figures he cited, Uganda had approximately 23,500 certified farmers in 2019, with the number subsequently rising to more than 740,000.

Namuwoza described the growth as evidence of Uganda’s potential to become a leading player in organic agriculture, arguing that the country was well positioned to benefit from growing international demand for organically produced goods.

He said the next step was to strengthen farmers’ capacity to maintain quality, comply with certification requirements and connect to markets where organic products command demand.

The academy is expected to support these efforts by equipping producers and businesses with practical knowledge on certification, sustainability and international market requirements.

With Uganda seeking to expand agricultural exports and improve household incomes, stakeholders believe that strengthening skills, standards and market access could help turn the country’s agricultural potential into greater export earnings.

For coffee, cocoa, fruits, vegetables and other agricultural products, the ultimate test will be whether improved knowledge and certification can translate into more competitive products, stronger international market access and better returns for Ugandan farmers and businesses.

TRAINING PROGRAMMES

Beyond helping Ugandan exporters overcome international trade barriers, Control Union Academy Uganda will offer specialised training in agriculture, sustainability, certification, quality assurance and supply chain management.

The programmes are designed to equip farmers, exporters, manufacturers and agribusiness professionals with the technical knowledge needed to meet international standards, improve product quality and strengthen their competitiveness in global markets.

The academy’s training portfolio will cover international certification schemes, including EU Organic, the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Programme (USDA-NOP), Japanese Agricultural Standards (JAS), GLOBALG.A.P., Rainforest Alliance, SMETA ethical compliance standards, the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), and sustainability certification schemes such as RSPO, MSPO and ISCC.

Participants will also receive training in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices, responsible sourcing, supply chain transparency, due diligence, carbon footprint management, greenhouse gas monitoring and sustainability reporting.

Another key area will be inspection, testing and quality assurance, with programmes covering inspection techniques, quality management systems, product traceability, chain of custody and laboratory testing awareness.

The academy will further provide training in management systems, including ISO standards, internal auditing, food safety systems, environmental management and energy management.

According to the academy, the programmes are designed for exporters, producers, farmers and farmer organisations, agribusiness companies, quality and compliance managers, sustainability professionals, auditors, manufacturers, processors, cooperatives, universities, students, government institutions and non-governmental organisations.

The initiative is expected to help bridge the technical knowledge gap affecting businesses seeking to comply with international requirements, while supporting responsible production, improved traceability and stronger supply chains.

With global buyers increasingly demanding evidence of product quality, ethical sourcing and environmental responsibility, the academy’s training programmes could provide Ugandan businesses with practical tools to meet market expectations and expand their presence in international trade.