Uganda’s coffee industry leaders, policymakers, investors and experts will meet on November 13 and 14 for the second edition of the “Coffee Roundtable Think Tank”, with discussions expected to focus on expanding coffee’s contribution to the economy beyond farming and exports.
Hosted by Africa Coffee Park in Ntungamo, the two-day meeting will examine how coffee can drive industrialisation, tourism, investment and Uganda’s global commercial influence.
The organisers say the gathering is intended to challenge the traditional approach of measuring the country’s coffee performance mainly through production volumes, export earnings and prices paid to farmers.
Dr Nelson O. Tugume, the Chief Executive Officer of Inspire Africa Group, said Uganda needed to rethink coffee as an economic resource with opportunities across several sectors.
“For a long time, we have measured Uganda’s coffee story by how many bags we produce, how much we export and the prices farmers receive. These are important, but coffee has the potential to do much more for our economy,” Tugume said.
He said Uganda could develop coffee tourism, attract investment into processing and manufacturing, and build industries around products made locally.
Tugume cited Mbale as an example of a potential coffee destination, where visitors could experience coffee culture while exploring investment and industrial opportunities.
“Perhaps the question is no longer how much coffee Uganda can produce, but how much of the global economy Uganda can build around coffee,” he said.
Africa Coffee Park said the think tank would focus on unlocking opportunities, promoting value addition, strengthening the coffee value chain and positioning Uganda as a global coffee player.
The event will bring together senior government officials and representatives from the trade, finance, agriculture, foreign affairs, tourism and science sectors.
Among the expected participants are Trade, Industry and Cooperatives Minister Sanjay Tanna; State Minister for Trade Wilson Mbadi; State Minister for Education and Sports Peter Ogwang; and Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries Desire Muhooza.
Other speakers include Dr Ramathan Ggoobi, Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury at the Ministry of Finance; Bagiire Vincent Waiswa, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities; Pamela Mbabazi, Chairperson of the National Planning Authority; and Juliana Kagwa, Chief Executive Officer of the Uganda Tourism Board.
The private sector will be represented by tourism entrepreneur Amos Wekesa, founder of Great Lakes Safaris and Great Lakes Collection, and Hez Kimoomi Alinda, Executive Director of the Uganda Free Zones and Export Promotions Authority.
Alan Kasujja, Executive Director of the Uganda Media Centre, will moderate the discussions.
Other participants include officials from Uganda’s diplomatic missions, the Office of the President and the Ministry of Finance.
The second edition follows the inaugural Coffee Roundtable Think Tank, with organisers seeking to turn the discussions into a broader national conversation about investment, value addition and the economic opportunities linked to coffee.
The meeting will be held at Africa Coffee Park under the theme, “One Table — Defining the Africa We Want.”