More households in Western Uganda today grow coffee as a cash crop compared to other parts of the country including Buganda and Bugisu, the 2024 National Housing and Population Census has revealed.
According to the findings of the 2024 Census, at least 5.4 households in Western Uganda grow either Arabica and Robusta Coffee while in Buganda, only 3.5 households grow the two types of coffee. In Eastern Uganda, according to the 2024 Census, a total of 2.1 households grow coffee.
This revelation could shock some people who have always believed that Buganda and Bugisu are the traditional coffee growing areas.
It also means that over the last two decades, the number of households in Western Uganda that have taken to coffee growing has more than doubled.
According to the 2002 Census, only 1.2 households in Western Uganda grew coffee. At that time, Buganda was the leading coffee-growing region with 2.7 households growing the crop. Western Uganda includes Ankole, Kigezi, Bunyoro and Tooro sub regions.
Coffee remains Uganda’s leading cash crop earning the country $1.144 billion last financial year.
