Clare
As the tea sector continues to face uncertainty in the Rwenzori Region, many farmers in Kyenjojo have abandoned tea farms as they look for alternatives of sustaining their livelihoods in the face of declining prices and inadequate government support
The farmers, who once relied heavily on tea farming to support their households and cover daily expenses such as school fees and medical bills, have expressed frustration over the ongoing difficulties.
During a recent interview with Jubilee Radio, a section of farmers shared the struggles they have encountered since the sharp drop in tea prices, which worsened around 2023.
Alternative crops
Chance Julius Luka, a tea farmer from Kyanyinaibale Parish in Kyarusozi Sub-County, explained that he was forced to abandon his two-acre tea farm due to the financial strain caused by low prices yet the fertilizers remain expensive. After shifting to maize farming as an alternative, Chance admits that maize is a seasonal crop and does not provide reliable income throughout the year, but hopeful in coffee farming.
“I have turned to growing a variety of cash and food crops to support myself. After the significant decline in our traditional cash crop, tea, I began farming maize, which is seasonal, and also coffee. In the last season, I was able to earn 2.8 million.” Said Luka
Julius blamed the Ugandan government for its failure to address the challenges faced by tea farmers, pointing out that it has not implemented supportive policies or price stabilization measures to help the sector.
“If the government had brought in experts from the Ministry of Agriculture to advise us on alternative crops suited to our soil, we would be much further along by now. Instead, we continue to do our best, focusing on whatever crops thrive in our conditions.”
Mr. Sylvano Kayondo, a farmer and tea trader from Kyenjojo district with nearly 30 years of experience in the business, also shared his hardships, revealing that his family has been forced to diversify into other crops like coffee, which takes time to yield profits. Kayondo, too, criticized the government, stating that despite the drop in tea prices, the Ministry of Agriculture has failed to educate farmers on alternative cash crops suited to their soil conditions.
Kayondo, who emphasized that self-reliance and strategic investment in the right crops are key to overcoming the prevailing challenges, advised farmers who are still hopeful for government aid to “forget about it” and instead focus on independent research to identify profitable crops for their land.
Museveni suggests alternative crops
Tea is Uganda’s third most important agricultural export after coffee and fish. It is a key commodity in the government’s strategic intervention program for National Development, focusing on production, processing, marketing, and export in the agricultural sector.
However, in his last visit to the Tooro-Sub region, Mukabura playground in Fort Portal Tourism City on labour day 2024, Museveni said tea doesn’t have high global market compared to other products like coffee, fish and bananas.
The president said that with changing global demands, he has been an advocate of a diversified economy though his message has not been given attention by the appropriate persons.
Museveni highlighted seven key enterprises: coffee, fruits (mangoes, oranges, pineapples, apples, grapes), zero-grazing dairy farming, fish farming, poultry for egg production, piggery, and homestead food crops such as cassava and bananas.
