The Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) was established by an Act of Parliament – UCDA Act, 1991 – which was amended in 1994, Cap. 32, and repealed and replaced by the National Coffee Act No. 17 of 2021.
UCDA’s mandate is to promote, regulate and oversee the quality of coffee along the entire value chain, support research and development, promote production, and improve the marketing of coffee in order to optimize earnings for coffee stakeholders and the country.
Its vision is to ensure an inclusive, transformative and sustainable coffee Industry while its mission is to increase quality coffee production, productivity, value addition, marketing and consumption.
In pursuit of its mission, UCDA is guided by a commitment to client focus, team work, integrity and professionalism.
Objectives of the Authority
- Promote, improve and monitor marketing of coffee to optimize foreign exchange and farmers’ earnings.
- Guarantee that the quality of coffee exports meets international standards.
- Develop and promote the coffee and other related industries through research and extension arrangements.
- Promote the marketing of coffee as a value-added product.
- Promote domestic consumption of Uganda coffee.
- Harmonize activities of coffee sub-sector associations in line with industry objectives.
- Formulate policies related to the coffee industry.
Functions of the Authority
- To issue certificates in respect of grade and quantity of coffee.
- To register in accordance with guidelines issued by the Minister, on the advice of the Board, organizations and bodies applying to market coffee.
- To collect, maintain and disseminate statistical data in respect of all aspects of the coffee industry.
- To certify all coffee exports.
- To monitor world market price changes and adjust the indicative price on a day-to-day basis to reflect the changes.
- To research and make extension arrangements through the Ministry of Agriculture or any other organization established in the country for the purpose.
- To reconcile coffee sub-sector policies with macro-economic policies of the Government.
- To main statistical data in respect of all coffee sales.
- To advise Government on the mechanism of determining the indicative price for the sale of coffee.
- To liaise with the International Coffee Organization (ICO) and be responsible for the administration of stamps of the organization.
- To liaise with other international organizations and promote Uganda coffee on the world market.
- To be responsible for the overall supervision of the coffee sub-sector including related industries and advise Government on coffee sub-sector policies.
- To organize training for technicians, coffee processors and quality controllers.
UCDA Directorates and their functions
Executive Directorate: It is headed by the Managing Director and is responsible for all Directorates as well as the Procurement, Corporate Communications, Audit departments.
Board Secretary Office / Legal Services Directorate: It is headed by the Board Secretary/ Director Legal Services and is responsible driving the corporate governance agenda at UCDA.
Strategy and Business Development Directorate: It is responsible for the development of coffee policies, strategies and corporate plans market intelligence; monitoring and evaluation function; and statistical research function.
Corporate Services Directorate: It is responsible for acquisition and management
of UCDA finances and assets; attraction, development and retention of staff, and management of information technology systems. The directorate comprises 4 departments. Information communication Technology (ICT), Human Resource, Finance and Administration.
Development Services Directorate: It is responsible for development and implementation of policies, strategies and initiatives for increasing quality coffee production and productivity. It comprises 3 departments namely technology development, extension and technical extension.
Quality and Regulatory Services Directorate: The directorate has 2 departments: Quality Assurance and Coffee Sustainability.
Value Addition and Promotion Directorate: It is responsible for: – Promotion of Uganda coffee in new (especially China and the Far East) and traditional markets; promotion of domestic coffee consumption and development a coffee drinking culture; and development of a national roasting and soluble product industry; and branding of Uganda Coffee UCDA board members
The UCDA Board of Directors is responsible for overseeing the conduct of business and supervising Management, which is responsible for the day – to – day operations. The Board’s objective is to preserve UCDA’s institutional competitiveness as well as ensuring that the Authority operates in a reliable and safe manner.
Present Membership
Names of Board Members
- Dr. Charles Francis Mugoya Chairperson
- Mr. John Nuwagaba Member Coffee Farmers
- Mr. Michael Nuwagaba Member Coffee Processors
- Mr. Fred Luzinda-Mukasa Member Coffee Exporters
- Dr. Sadik Kasiim Member National Agriculture Research Organization (NARO)
- Ms. Maris Wanyera Member Ministry of Finance, Planning & Economic Development
- Mrs. Martha Nalubega Wandera Member Coffee Roasters
- Mr. Okot Okello Richard Member Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives
Coffee marketing licensing and registration guidelines.
Export marketing
In order to qualify for Export of coffee, traders are required to meet the following guidelines; –
1. Provide full name of applicant and physical address.
2. Company profile indicating Memorandum and Articles of Association,
Shareholders and Management set –up.
3. Provide a performance bond in Uganda Shillings equivalent to US $ 25,000
(Not Cash)
4. Provide evidence of access to a reprocessing factory capable of producing
export grades.
5. Pay registration/License fee of Shs 1.5m/= per annum.
Internal marketing
6.Provide full name of applicant and physical address.
7. Indicate location of the store.
8. Pay registration/license of Shs 50,000/= to Shs 250,000/= depending on
capacity.
Contact: Coffee House, Plot 35 Jinja Road, P.O. Box 7267, Kampala, Uganda
Tel: (+256)-414-256940 / 312-260470
Fax: +256-414-256994
Email: info@ugandacoffee.go.ug