Denis Ongeng | October 2, 2026
News Brief
Farmers everywhere are dealing with more extreme heat and drought. Some coffee farmers in Uganda are adopting intercropping and agroforestry to protect their plants. Avocado, guavas, bananas, jackfruit, and other indigenous trees provide fruit for the farmers and shade for the coffee plants. Job Aluga Chemutai is a research scientist at the National Agricultural Research Organisation, or NARO, attached to the National Coffee Research Institute. He recommends planting shade trees, which helps the soil to conserve water. The trees also act as a windbreak. However, he warns that planting too many trees can create an environment conducive to the multiplication of pests. He says, “Shade trees should be balanced, not too much and not very few.”
Coffee is an important sector in Uganda, where production for the 2026-27 year is estimated at about 7.2 million bags weighing 60 kilograms. Bugisu region in Eastern Uganda is a giant in coffee production. However, in recent years, coffee farmers in this region, and in Uganda at large, have struggled to produce in the face of drought and extreme weather due to climate change.
Fati Nabwire, 58 years, is one of the coffee farmers in the Eastern district of Mbale. She farms one acre of land where she has been growing coffee for the last five years. She says, “Sometimes there is extreme heat and drought in our district which affects coffee growth.”
In response, she has planted shade trees to provide cover for coffee during times of drought and extreme heat. Mrs. Nabwire has planted avocado, guavas, bananas, jackfruit, and other indigenous trees. These trees also provide fruits for her family to eat and to sell for additional income.
To boost her soil fertility, Mrs. Nabwire has also planted legumes such as beans and groundnuts, which had nitrogen to the soil. She adds that good soil fertility and proper management of pests and diseases ensures her coffee trees are healthy.
Last year, she harvested up to 60 kgs of raw coffee earning about 720, 0000 Uganda shillings (USD 192.42), which helped her to pay part of the university tuition for her child.
Moses Mukwashi is another coffee farmer in Bubyangu sub-county in Mbale district. His farm has not been spared by drought either. To mitigate the impact of future droughts, Mr. Mukwashi planted bananas and other indigenous trees as shade trees on his 1.5-acre farm.
Job Aluga Chemutai is a research scientist at the National Agricultural Research Organisation, or NARO, attached to the National Coffee Research Institute. He advises farmers to first research about better methods of growing coffee before embarking on the project. He says, “Specifically, farmers need to identify areas prone to drought in their sight selection and avoid planting coffee trees in those areas.”
Mr. Chemutai says coffee requires a high level of fertility and an intensive fertilizer program is therefore essential. He adds that farmers can use organic fertilizer such as cow dung, chicken dropping, leaves and grasses as organic fertilizer that improves soil quality and texture after decomposition. Legumes like groundnuts can also help with soil fertility by adding nitrogen to the soil.
He also recommends planting shade trees, which helps the soil to conserve water. The trees also act as a windbreak. However, he warns that planting too many trees can create an environment conducive to the multiplication of pests. He says, “Shade trees should be balanced, not too much and not very few.”
Hassan Masaba is the chairperson of Mt Elgon organic farmer’s cooperative in Bugisu region. Mr. Masaba has planted bananas, onions, tomatoes, and groundnuts on his farm, in addition to coffee. These crops supplement the family’s feeding budget, while the bananas and indigenous trees like kujiki and guruku provide shade to coffee.
Mr. Masaba says soil fertility remains a challenge to coffee farmers. He says, “Many farmers lack knowledge on how to maintain soil fertility following decades of growing coffee on the same piece of land.” Other challenges he highlighted include limited access to capital, markets and poor agronomic practices.
Mr. Chemutai says farmers can benefit from support through the ministry of Agriculture, fisheries and Animal husbandry and Regional Coffee Development offices in Bugisu region.
This resource is funded by the IKEA Foundation under the project “Sustainable Dialogue and Knowledge Sharing Communication Platforms”
Photo: Fati Nabwire, coffee farmer, Eastern District, Uganda