For many, Uganda might not be the first country that comes to mind when thinking of high-quality Arabica coffee, especially since the country has been traditionally known as a producer of Robusta. The country has the ideal climate and geography for coffee production, yet producers do face various infrastructure challenges. The slopes of Mt. Elgon in the East (bordering Kenya) are ideally suited for the production of high-quality specialty coffee.
Sir Winston Churchill first described Uganda as the ‘Pearl of Africa’, while admiring its “magnificent variety of form and colour, profusion of brilliant life and its vast scale.” Benefiting from a bi-modal rainfall season and high altitudes, the country has a pleasant climate year-round and is lush with greenery. The mountain ranges to the east and west are home to Uganda’s Arabica farmers; Robusta is produced on the central plateau.

The Rwenzoris are a mountain range famously known as the ‘Mountains of the Moon.’ They stretch for 120 kilometres along the Western Uganda border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The snow-capped peaks reach over 5,000 metres above sea level and support glaciers that are the start of many rivers flowing down the slopes (including one source of the Nile). The slopes of this range are where the government of Uganda is promoting coffee production as a key driver for rural development.

The District of Kasese is located in the West, which includes the Rwenzoris in the northwest. This region is rich with coffee production thanks to the high altitudes and healthy soils. Within this District is the town of Kabatunda, known for its rolling green hills. The town is a hub for producers to bring their coffee. A representative from Agri Evolve, our exporting partners in Uganda, is located here to purchase fresh cherry from the surrounding coffee farms. His name is Herbert, and he keeps track of all producers that sell coffee to Agri Evolve in this area. In between harvests, he visits farms to ensure they have necessary agronomic support.