NaCORI SET TO CELEBRATE TEN YEARS OF COFFEE, COCOA RESEARCH INNOVATIONS
The National Coffee Research Institute (NaCORI) is one of the Public Agricultural Research Institute under the policy guidelines of the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NAR Act 2005). NaCORI was established in 2014 and on August 8, 2024, the institute will celebrate ten years of existence. NaCORI is mandated to conduct basic, applied and strategic forms of research in coffee and cocoa. NaCORI conducts research aimed at developing innovations to increase production, productivity, export revenues and industrial development in Uganda.
Since 2014, when NaCORI became a National Public Research Institute, the research team has generated diverse technologies and innovations that have contributed to increased coffee exports from 3.5 million bags (in 2014) to the current 5.7 million bags. When the coffee industry in Uganda was hit by the Coffee Wilt Disease (CWD) in the 1990s, NaCORI developed and released seven CWD-resistant Robusta coffee varieties that saved the country from an annual loss of about sh247billion due to the disease, according to the Uganda Coffee Development Authority reports. In addition, three more Robusta coffee varieties were developed, bringing the total number to ten (10). These high-yielding, disease-resistant coffee varieties have contributed to increase of coffee exports from about 3 million 60kg bags to the current 5.7 million bags.
Recently, the institute developed and validated on the market value-added coffee and cocoa products, including dietary (coffee powder, coffee infused yoghurt, chocolate) and non-dietary (facial and body scrub, body lotions, creams). Commercialization of these innovations, following transfer and up scaling will enhance employment of the youth and household incomes, thus profitability of coffee and cocoa value-chains.
The technologies and innovations developed in the past ten years present a valuable opportunity for NaCORI to reflect on the achievements; build partnerships, engagements and strategically reposition itself as a regional centre of excellence in coffee and cocoa research.
NaCORI’s Journey
Coffee research at Kituza has a fascinating history. As early 1917, there was a privately-owned coffee garden at the Kituza area. It is reported that the several coffee clones with unique traits were being evaluated in the garden. By 1923, it was a sizeable coffee farm that subsequently became a research unit by 1935 administratively hosted at Kawanda.
By 1996, it metamorphosed to an independent unit known as Coffee Research Centre (COREC), and later CORI (Coffee Research Institute), before becoming a Coffee Research Programme under the National Crop Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) in 2005.
Following the policy recommendations of the National Coffee Policy of 2013, NaCORI was established as a semi-autonomous research institute under NARO. NaCORI is the seventh National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) of NARO and the 16th Public Agricultural Research Institute (PARI).
Since the launch of NaCORI in 2014, the institute has implemented research activities and achieved several milestones in line with the National Development Plans (NDPI, II & NDP III), Agricultural Sector Strategic Plans and NARO’s strategic plan.
NaCORI@10 ACTIVITIES:
The 2024 NaCORI at 10 celebration will be held under the theme:
Ten Years of Technologies and Innovations for Enhanced Coffee, Cocoa Export and Industry Development.
As we celebrate this historic moment, the coffee research team will focus on: strengthening the linkage between research and community required for the development of market-driven technologies and innovations. Secondly, reflect on the coffee research agenda to position NaCORI as a centre of excellence in coffee and cocoa research in sub-Saharan Africa.
On this momentous occasion of NaCORI@10, the Coffee Innovation Centre at Kituza will avail an array of engaging and memorable activities meticulously arranged as part of the Kituza Coffee Experience; an all things coffee experience. Some of these technology and innovation promotional activities have already kicked-off. The grand celebration will be held on August 8, 2024 at Kituza, Mukono district.
Since the launch of NaCORI ten years ago, we have evolved in many ways; achieved many milestones and touched many lives along the coffee value-chain. None of this would have been possible without your support. To all our partners, thank you for walking this journey with us!
