NARO-NaCORI in partnership with the Buganda Kingdom under BUCADEF (Buganda Cultural and Development Foundation) reaches out to coffee farmers of Ssesse island. This outreach was aimed to sensitize them on the benefits of growing the coffee wilt disease-resistant varieties which are high yielding, and resistant to the coffee wilt disease which destroys coffee productivity by about 70%.  A number of coffee farmers are still growing the old clones of coffee even when they are the most susceptible to coffee wilt disease which currently affects about 60% of the Robusta coffee growing area in Uganda. Therefore, NARO-NaCORI supported the hard-to-reach island of Ssesse with 3700 planting materials of the 10 CWD varieties distributed through the Kalangala district local government and nursery operators to multiply for easy accessibility by the locals.

While addressing the participants, Dr Kagezi, a principal research officer at NARO-NaCORI appreciated the people of Ssesse island for their resilience amidst all the challenges they face while travelling on water for better livelihood.  He urged them to practice good coffee agronomy for better productivity.

Mr. Bukko Galiwango of Kalangala District Local Government receiving 3000 planting materials for Ssesse island farmers.

In his closing remarks, Owek. Noah Kiyimba who represented the Katikkiro of Buganda emphasized the need for farmers to be vigilant about what coffee quality they invest in. He urged them to buy planting materials from certified nursery operators to reap big from coffee.

This event happened at Bulange Mengo during the luwalo lwange declaration to the Katikkiro who was represented by Owek Noah Kiyimba . The Luwalo Lwange is money collected from kingdom subjects to help in the daily running of the Kingdom activities. This which was attended by Baganda from Masaza of Mawokota and Ssesse who declared over 70 million to support the Buganda Kingdom.