Uganda has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its coffee partnership with Italy, unveiling new initiatives aimed at value addition, climate resilience, and market competitiveness.
Speaking at a high-level event attended by the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ugandan officials hailed Italy as the country’s largest coffee trading partner, receiving 36% of Uganda’s exports.
Uganda is Africa’s top coffee exporter and ranks among the world’s top ten, making the sector a critical lifeline for farmers and the national economy.
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One of the landmark projects highlighted was the establishment of a Coffee Training Centre in Kampala, part of the planned Kampala Coffee Hub.
The facility will act as a national platform to enhance quality, promote value addition, and build skills for farmers, processors, and entrepreneurs across the value chain.
The collaboration has also been bolstered by access to the Italian Climate Fund. With support from the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), Uganda has secured a €120 million concessional loan as part of a €132 million request for climate adaptation in coffee.
The facility will enable smallholder farmers and value chain actors to invest in climate-resilient practices, ensuring the long-term sustainability of the industry.
Uganda praised UNIDO for its role in implementing the ACT Coffee Programme, sponsored by Italy, which was described as the first concrete response to the Kampala Declaration on Coffee 2023.
The programme comes in the wake of the Dar es Salaam Declaration, which underscored the importance of regional cooperation and value addition in Africa’s coffee sector.
Despite being a leading exporter, Uganda exports most of its coffee in raw form. The government says it is determined to change that through its Coffee Roadmap, which places emphasis on processing, branding, and expanding Uganda’s global market presence. The drive is in line with President
Museveni’s ambitious target of exporting 20 million bags by 2030.
“As we move forward, we look to Italy and UNIDO not only as trading partners, but also as allies in elevating Ugandan coffee to new heights,” Uganda’s delegation noted.
“Together, we can ensure that Uganda’s coffee is recognized not only for its quantity, but also for its premium quality and unique flavors.”
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The government expressed gratitude to the Italian government, coffee industry partners, and UNIDO for their continued collaboration, pledging full support for the proposed UN General Assembly resolution on global coffee value chains.
With the new initiatives, Uganda is positioning itself not just as a bulk exporter, but as a key global player in premium coffee production — a shift expected to bring prosperity to farmers, businesses, and the wider economy.
