Uganda’s New Vision newspaper reports that Urth Caffe, a popular Los Angeles establishment has pledged a $500,000 investment in the country’s coffee industry; a bold move.
U.S. Coffee Investor to Sink $500,000 in Kisoro (um, sink?)
URTH Café, one of the leading coffee shops in the US, is to boost organic coffee production in Kisoro district with a $500,000 (about sh875m) investment.
The pilot project with Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) would see the investor buying coffee directly from farmers.
Shallom Berkman, the Urth Café proprietor, explained after a four-day guided tour that the programme would be handled by Mount Gorilla Coffee Estate Company, which is already working in the region.
Berkman, who has been piloting the programme for the last four years with selected farmers, informed the growers that the roll-out programme, aimed at benefiting more farmers targeted only those that produce high quality organic coffee.
“Farmers who pick red cherries have an assurance that their coffee would fetch them big premiums as opposed to those who pick green cherries,” said Berkman.
He said farmers who apply better farming practices would be rewarded with a 20% price increment per kilogramme. Currently, a kilo of good organic coffee sells for S$5 (about sh8,400).
He said a training and business centre would be set up in the area.
Henry Ngabirano, the head of UCDA, appealed to farmers to embrace the programme.
He told those with old coffee trees to stump and prune them for better yields.
The farmers, however, said low yields and lack of organic experts, deterred them from organic farming.
we are about 5 graduates in rakai district dealing in coffee but we ask you to assist and connect us to exporters, we are still at low scale using about 20 million .
I initially read about you 10/16/2008 US Chamber Magazine “Fighting for Your Business”. Not only was I inspired by your story, encouraged by your determination and most importantly don’t give up no matter what the circumstances in business, we must continue climbing the journey because at the top we will find a reward for the team, for Ugandan Coffee farmers and for oneself.
Thank you for what you are doing for the farmers of Uganda and creating employment for the people of USA.
Cheers,
Nanziri
Uganda wants to kill homosexuals, they hate homosexuals, do they know that Urth caffe is in the middle of the most gay city in the world?
they don’t mind to take money that comes from homosexuals???
the hypocrisy of economics
gay people should not patronize Urth Caffe
Hello Cisco, I agree with your concerns but would not fault either the people of Uganda or Urth Caffe. Before working in Uganda, I felt the same way but after just a year of regular visits to assist the farmers of that country, I realized that it is the policies of the extraordinarily corrupt government of Uganda and extremist religious leaders that are so offensive and destructive, not the will of its people. The individuals that I’ve met and know there are very kind, friendly and open to accept others. I urge you to not rush to judge an entire country of millions on the prejudices of its leaders, nor to fault the company who is trying to do some good for them. Can you imagine how others around the world would treat us if we were judged solely by the actions of our political and religious leaders? Remember that there is a difference between people and policy.