Community Development and Climate Smart Agriculture in Uganda’s Rwenzori Mountains

Uganda is Africa’s second-largest coffee producer after Ethiopia and the sixth-largest in the world. Coffee is also one of Uganda’s principal exports, making it a significant source of income for the country and for the local communities who cultivate it. One of the many coffee-growing regions in Uganda that has distinguished itself globally for its speciality beans is the foothills of the Rwenzori Mountains. This particular region in Uganda’s west is known for its high-quality Arabica, which prefers cool climates and higher altitudes (1200m+). 

However, as climate impacts, including rising temperatures, dwindling water supplies, and higher risks of pests and diseases threaten coffee cultivation globally, the Rwenzoris are no exception. Warming is particularly significant in this region that cultivates Arabica, which thrives only in cooler temperatures. Alongside these climate considerations, increasing population and development pressure are degrading the fragile environment around the Rwenzoris. Together, the climate-related and development challenges have led to declining coffee bean yield and adverse effects for the communities reliant on this source of income.

In recent years, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), government agencies, and private sector companies have partnered with local communities to take a more sustainable approach to coffee growing for the benefit of the communities as well as the rich biodiversity and vibrant ecosystems of the Rwenzori Mountains.

For example, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the European Union (EU) collaborated on a program that built local farmers’ capacity to modernise their agricultural practices. These new practices enabled farmers to scale up production and produce higher yields on their existing plots without requiring additional land, thus mitigating further encroachment into the Rwenzoris’ delicate environs. 

The new farming methods also emphasised building farmers’ resilience to climate variability. Examples included techniques to reduce soil erosion, increase water retention, and provide shade cover. Lessons learned by the community farmers who attended the capacity-building sessions were then shared with other community members to encourage widespread adoption of the more modern, climate-smart methods in the area.

In addition to working directly with the communities, the EU also worked with Uganda’s National Environment Management Authority, Uganda Wildlife Authority, and Uganda Tourist Board to implement further measures to support the Rwenzori communities to sustain livelihoods through coffee cultivation. This included, for example, a “payment for ecosystem services” system, which provides rewards to landowners who apply environmentally-friendly agricultural practices. Another measure encouraged the development of coffee-related tourism as an additional source of income for community members. Tourists can visit the Rwenzori Snow Peaks Coffee House to see how this initiative has since come to life. 

Even familiar, global household brands like Nespresso have gotten on board supporting community livelihood in the Rwenzoris through coffee cultivation. Nespresso has a limited edition coffee pod in the Master Origins line called Amaha Awe Uganda, sourced from the Rwenzori Mountains. The company also runs the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality Program, which works with farmers in the Rwenzoris to deliver training in improved farming practices to help improve quality and yield, resulting in more income. Part of the training also focuses on the importance of picking only the highest-quality coffee cherries, which may result in lower overall value but brings higher prices on the market.

At a smaller scale, Tom’s Green Coffee is a speciality coffee company focused on producing 100% organic, ethical Arabica in the Rwenzoris. Tom’s Green Coffee established the Ruboni Organic Coffee Farmers Association (ROCFA) to build organic farming skills for its producers. The ROCFA works with individual farmers to address issues facing their crops with organic techniques and procedures, teaching one farmer the importance of pruning and weeding, while another learned about planting red peppers and marigolds as a method to repel pests and disease with natural materials. 

Armed with new knowledge about sustainable agriculture methods and the importance of balancing economic development with the protection of the delicate Rwenzori Mountains ecosystems, the coffee-cultivating communities of the Rwenzoris shines 

Get in touch with the Nomad team to help you plan your visit to the coffee-cultivating communities of the Rwenzori Mountains.

Article written by: Ariana Dickey