BUHWEJU, UGANDA – Tea and coffee farmers in Buhweju District will receive free fertilizer later this month, District Woman MP Hon. Nnamara Annet Oyes Byamukama has announced.
The intervention was secured through the networking pillar of the Buhweju Community Transformation Initiatives Limited (BCTI), which has long advocated for balanced support on both seedlings and inputs.
Byamukama said consistent fertilization is essential for tea quality and yield. The new supply is intended to improve leaf quality, raise farm gate prices, and reverse a decline in export earnings linked to poor agronomy. Coffee farmers will also receive fertilizer to strengthen yields ahead of the next season.
A Model Tea Plantation will be established in Buhweju as part of the program. The site will demonstrate correct fertilizer application, pruning, and plucking techniques for farmers looking to benchmark their gardens.
Farmers and BCTI groups have been advised to clear and weed their gardens in preparation, and to attend the demonstration once it is launched. Byamukama emphasized that the fertilizer will be provided at no cost and warned against paying bribes to anyone claiming to facilitate access.
The initiative marks a shift for Uganda’s tea sector, which has historically focused on seedlings over inputs. According to BCTI’s Tea Industry Performance Improvement Strategy 2025, the industry has the potential to generate USD 600 million annually. Exports, however, have dropped from about USD 100 million to USD 50 million, largely due to limited fertilizer use and resulting quality issues.
BCTI says the current distribution is timely and is calling on government to establish a sustainable mechanism for fertilizer access rather than treating it as a one-off intervention.
This is very good idea for supporting farmers that great for the community
Am a farmer, in Bureere and a Youth, with both coffee and tea plantation. Am waiting this initiative but don’t know the procedure to follow