By Our Staff Reporter

Jinja, Uganda | September 19, 2026
The Special Presidential Assistant–Press and Mobilisation and Deputy Press Secretary to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Alhaji Faruk Kirunda, has called for increased investment in coffee and cocoa value addition and agro-tourism as part of efforts to create jobs, raise household incomes and accelerate economic transformation in Busoga.

Kirunda made the call in a keynote address delivered on his behalf by the Private Secretary in charge of Education and Skilling at State House, Mr. Jimmy Nambiro, during the inaugural Busoga Coffee and Cocoa Tourism Festival held at Jinja Showgrounds on Friday, September 18, 2026.

The three-day festival is being held under the theme, “Brewing Prosperity, Cultivating Heritage: Advancing Coffee & Cocoa Value Chains for Youth Employment and Economic Transformation in Busoga.”

Kirunda said coffee and cocoa should be viewed beyond their role as agricultural crops, arguing that the two commodities have the potential to support businesses and livelihoods across a wide range of activities.

He said opportunities exist throughout the value chain, including production, aggregation, processing, transportation, packaging, branding and export.

According to Kirunda, Uganda needs to move beyond exporting raw agricultural products by increasing local processing and manufacturing so that farmers, entrepreneurs and communities can retain a larger share of the value generated from their products.

He called for improvements in farm-level productivity and quality, better post-harvest handling, expanded local processing and the development of products capable of competing in domestic, regional and international markets.

“We should not look at coffee and cocoa merely as crops that are planted, harvested and sold. We should look at them as complete value chains capable of supporting thousands of livelihoods and businesses,” Kirunda said.

Youth at the centre of value addition

Kirunda said the development of coffee and cocoa value chains presents significant opportunities for Uganda’s growing youth population.

He encouraged stakeholders to create opportunities for young people to participate not only as farmers but also as entrepreneurs, innovators, service providers and employers.

He identified processing, logistics, digital marketing, agricultural technology, packaging, hospitality, tourism and export services as some of the areas where young people could build enterprises.

However, he stressed that skills alone would not be sufficient to transform the livelihoods of young people unless they were linked to finance, markets, production opportunities and mentorship.

“Skills without access to markets, finance without viable business models and production without reliable buyers may not deliver the desired economic transformation,” he said.

Kirunda also called for greater economic participation of women, noting their contribution to agriculture, trade, food processing and household economies.

He urged stakeholders to improve women’s access to finance, productive assets and markets while increasing their ownership of enterprises and participation in economic decision-making.

Agro-tourism seen as new economic opportunity

Kirunda said Busoga’s agricultural, cultural and historical resources could be combined to develop agro-tourism and create additional sources of income for local communities.

He proposed developing coffee and cocoa farms into tourism destinations where visitors can learn about production and processing, taste locally produced products, purchase locally made goods and experience the culture of Busoga.

He said linking agriculture with culture, hospitality and tourism could generate opportunities for accommodation providers, restaurants, transport operators, tour guides, artisans, performers and other local businesses.

Kirunda challenged stakeholders to ensure that tourism generates tangible economic benefits for communities rather than focusing only on attracting visitors.

He said the impact could be measured through the number of local businesses benefiting from tourism, young people employed, local products purchased by visitors and the development of commercially viable farms and cultural experiences.

Call for stronger market linkages

The Presidential Assistant also emphasised the importance of market access and export readiness, noting that buyers require consistency, quality, traceability, reliable supply, appropriate packaging and credible businesses.

He said the festival had created an opportunity for farmers, cooperatives, processors, exporters, investors, young people, women, tourism actors, financial institutions, development partners and government agencies to establish productive partnerships.

Kirunda said the success of the festival should ultimately be measured by the business relationships established, investments mobilised, markets opened and partnerships that continue beyond the three-day event.

He linked the festival to President Museveni’s emphasis on moving Ugandans from a subsistence way of life into the money economy.

He cited government programmes such as the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga, which are intended to support household production, enterprise development, access to finance, skills development and commercial agriculture.

However, he said government programmes alone cannot transform the economy without the involvement of organised communities, capable entrepreneurs, farmers, financial institutions, private companies and young people willing to take advantage of emerging opportunities.

He called for stronger cooperation among government, the private sector, financial institutions, development partners, farmers, cooperatives and cultural institutions.

Kirunda also urged stakeholders to incorporate environmental sustainability into agricultural and tourism development, noting that land, soil, water, forests and wetlands provide the foundation for economic activity.

Youth urged to utilise available land

Maj. Emma Kutesa from State House urged people in Busoga to make better use of available land by embracing high-value crops such as coffee and cocoa.

Kutesa noted that many young people had moved to urban areas while family land in rural communities remained underutilised.

“Most youth are now in towns yet they have land lying idle in villages. We need that manpower to develop our land,” he said.

He called for a change in mindset, saying Busoga has fertile soils capable of supporting high-value commercial agriculture.

Kutesa encouraged farmers to embrace President Museveni’s wealth-creation messages, including the four-acre model.

Organisers promote coffee, cocoa and tourism

The organiser of the festival and head of the Women’s Environmental Forum Uganda, Ms. Resty Mbwali, thanked sponsors and partners, including the Office of the Special Presidential Assistant–Press and Mobilisation and the Busoga Kingdom.

Mbwali said the organisation promotes environmental conservation and livelihoods and aims to support communities in Busoga through commercial agriculture and tourism.

She said coffee and cocoa have the potential to contribute to poverty reduction in the region.

The festival brought together farmers, cooperatives, entrepreneurs, processors, exporters, investors, financial institutions, government agencies, development partners and tourism actors to explore opportunities in wealth creation, value addition, employment and investment.

Meanwhile, festival coordinator Ms. Nababi Christine said the event was organised to promote tourism and agriculture while encouraging Busoga to diversify its economic base.

She said the region is widely associated with sugarcane and rice but has the potential to develop other lucrative products, particularly coffee, cocoa and agro-tourism.

Farmers showcase value addition

Among the exhibitors was Mr. Kazibwe Michael of Kazibwe Mixed Farm in Busedde, Jinja District.

Kazibwe said he had adopted President Museveni’s four-acre model and was involved in commercial agriculture, including coffee and cocoa value addition.

He also said his farm makes productive use of cow dung.

Kazibwe encouraged parents to involve their children in agricultural activities to ensure continuity and inspire the younger generation to embrace commercial farming.

The Busoga Coffee and Cocoa Tourism Festival is expected to provide a platform for continued engagement among farmers, investors, government agencies and other stakeholders as the region seeks to expand its agricultural value chains, create employment and develop new tourism opportunities.