In the undulating hills of Kasokero Village, Kyabigambire Sub-County, Hoima District, Mr. Bingi Isaaya has become a beacon of success in Uganda’s coffee industry, earning an impressive 72 million shillings annually from his coffee production. His journey demonstrates resilience, innovation and the impact of community support in transforming livelihoods through agriculture, writes Bob Abor.
After completing his senior four, Mr. Bingi, now 60 years old, faced a difficult choice: to seek formal employment or forge a future in agriculture. Opting for the latter, he initially grew beans, maize, cassava, and bananas for family consumption, while dabbling in tomato cultivation for sale. However, the labour-intensive nature of tomato farming prompted him to explore other options, leading him to the world of coffee.
With the guidance and support of the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), Mr. Bingi acquired high yielding, early maturing and disease resistant NARO coffee varieties (Kituza Robusta 1 to 7). This marked a turning point in his coffee farming journey. Determined to excel, Mr. Bingi underwent a comprehensive training on coffee production best management practices.
He participated in several learning visits to districts like Mityana and Mbarara, as well as to the coffee highlands of Kenya. Mr. Bingi embraced the teachings and experiences from his training, which he said emphasised three critical elements for successful coffee farming: water, manure, and sunlight.
He implemented sustainable practices, such as applying farm yard manure (once a year) and inorganic fertilisers (twice a year), and constructed water retention channels to enhance moisture retention and reduce soil erosion. In 2023, his hard work bore fruit when UCDA recognised him as a model farmer and provided him with 40 bags of fertilisers. In the same year,
Mr. Bingi harvested and sold 120 bags of shelled coffee from eight acres, yielding an extraordinary 72,000,000 Uganda shillings in revenue. Mr. Bingi’s accomplishments stretch beyond his personal gains. His income has enabled him to educate five children at university, acquire 25 acres of land, build a new home, and construct a commercial building in Hoima City.
Besides, he has been inspired to give back to the community by training hundreds of fellow farmers in effective coffee cultivation techniques. With an eye on the future, Mr. Bingi plans to expand his coffee acreage and invest in water harvesting systems to further improve irrigation and yields.