Rukungiri District Distributes Fertilizers to Coffee Model Farmers to Boost Production
Rukungiri: Rukungiri District Local Government has distributed 236 bags of fertilizer (each weighing 25kg) and 200 bottles of liquid fertilizer (500ml each) to selected coffee model farmers across the district. Four farmers from each of the nine sub-counties—Bugangari, Kebisoni, Ruhinda, Nyakagyeme, Buyanja, Buhunga, Bwambara, Nyarushanje, and Nyakishenyi—benefited from the initiative.
The distribution exercise, held on July 23, at the production office at Rukungiri District Headquarters, was supported by the Development Fund. It was witnessed by key leaders including the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Steven Nsubuga Bewayo, District Chairperson Geoffrey Kyomukama, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Hajji Swalik Wasswa Masokoyi, Principal Agriculture Officer Mildred Kukundakwe and her production team, a representative from the Ministry of Agriculture (coffee department), extension workers, and the beneficiary farmers.
RDC Steven Nsubuga Bewayo explained that while Rukungiri is a district with many farmers, it was not previously known for a specific major crop. He noted that the district leadership has now prioritized coffee as a key enterprise—second only to bananas and cattle—to increase household incomes and build a lasting farming culture.
“Coffee is a crop that can be harvested for decades and passed on to generations. We want our farmers to embrace it not only for income but also for sustainability,” Nsubuga said.
He urged farmers to use the distributed fertilizers responsibly and promised to visit their farms in the future to assess progress. He encouraged them to maintain visitor registers for record-keeping and agricultural benchmarking.
Nsubuga also advised the beneficiaries to guide and support fellow farmers in their communities, noting that widespread success in coffee farming can reduce criminal behavior such as theft, as economic empowerment promotes social stability.
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Rukungiri District Principal Agriculture Officer, Mildred Kukundakwe, said the district has prioritized coffee as a major crop despite the challenges posed by pests and diseases. She explained that the government procured fertilizers and chemicals to boost production and improve the health of coffee trees.
“We have started with a few model farmers from each sub-county so they can serve as examples. Other farmers will learn from them and adopt improved coffee farming practices,” Kukundakwe said.
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