Coffee farmers in the Elgon region have embraced organic farming a bid to fetch high premium prices.
This kind of farming calls for no use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides and in return one gets highest quality and best-tasting coffee beans.
During a recent visit to Mt. Elgon Agro forestry Communities Cooperative Enterprise (MEACCE) in Mbale city by the US Ambassador to Uganda H.E William Popp, the farmers exhibited the progress made.
The group of over 3000 farmers gets support through USAID funded business advisory and improved production management system.
According to Nimdrod Wambette, MEACCE chairman, through the USAID support they have been able to able to acquire Fair Trade and Organic Certification which ensures fairer terms of trade between farmers and buyers, protects workers' rights, as well as provide the framework for producers to build thriving farms and organizations.
"We did sign a contract with Fair Trade systems to produce coffee with zero trace of chemical fertilizers or pesticides", says Mr. Wambette.
We engage in trainings with the farmers on best farming practices which enrich the coffee and there are several measures we have embarked.
After realizing that the spraying does not only affect the coffee but also kills vital nutrients in the soil we took the matter serious, he adds.
"As a group we support farmers with a cow shade mainly for milk and manure. The cow-dug is dried before being applied in the gardens, this manure is rich in nutrients and is suitable for plant growth", he adds
