FAO and MAAIF in consultation with stakeholders on Strengthening the Cocoa Value Chain in Uganda
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries, and Fisheries (MAAIF), convened a stakeholder meeting on 15th April to discuss strengthening Uganda’s capacity for climate-resilient cocoa value chain development.
The one-day consultative meeting, held at Fairway Hotel in Kampala, brought together representatives from government ministries, research institutions, farmer associations, the private sector, and NGOs.
Cocoa is a rapidly growing cash crop in Uganda, it’s the 4th largest export earner. Uganda is the fifth largest cocoa exporter in Africa and has significant potential to increase production and improve livelihoods for smallholder farmers. However, the sector faces challenges such as low production and productivity, limited value addition, and vulnerability to climate change.
The meeting highlighted the importance of a strategy for the cocoa sector, as well as a well-defined regulatory framework that will establish guidelines, standards, and protocols for all aspects of the value chain, from inputs and research to on-farm activities, marketing, processing, and exports, among others.
Speaking at the meeting, the FAO Representative in Uganda Dr. Antonio Querido announced a seed contribution of USD 250,000, made available by FAO through a Technical Cooperation Project with the Government of Uganda, to support the development of the cocoa sector in the country.
With the goal to increase Uganda’s annual cocoa production to at least 100,000 metric tons by 2030, there is a need for a strategy that will guide efforts to increase cocoa production and productivity, strengthen the resilience of smallholder farmers to climate change, integrate climate-smart cocoa cultivation techniques, connect farmers with essential value chain services, and facilitate market access.
“Developing a climate-resilient cocoa value chain strategy is a multifaceted task that requires time, resources and careful planning. FAO is honored to support these efforts that we believe will contribute to strengthening Uganda’s cocoa sector, through a TCP program,” said Dr. Querido.
The TCP project aims to support MAAIF to develop the strategy to guide the sector’s growth and address challenges across the entire value chain. This strategy will be developed in close consultations with all stakeholders ensuring that the needs for a strong research agenda is adequately defined.
Dr. Geofrey Arinaitwe, Director of National Coffee Research Institute (NaCORI), in his statement emphasized the crucial role of scientific research in shaping the cocoa value chain landscape. He extended gratitude to FAO and Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) for spearheading this commendable initiative, underscoring the mutual relationship between science and sustainable agricultural practices.
In his closing remarks, Hon James Baba, a former parliamentarian urged concerted coordination among all cocoa value chain stakeholders, advocating for synergy to yield inclusive outcomes without duplication. He also underscored the significance of comprehensive training initiatives to empower stakeholders along this transformative journey.
“Let’s work together and get results that will benefit everyone and ensure no duplication. Training about the crop will also be a milestone for this journey,” he noted.