The Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) has called for more sensitisation of coffee farmers about the registration exercise that seeks to comply with European Union export guidelines.

With less than three months for Uganda to comply with the European Union Deforestation Regulations (EUDR), IRCU said the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) must do more to reach out to the ordinary coffee farmers in the rural areas who may misinterpret the whole aim of the registration exercise.

“We were told about the legislation coming from the European Union, and we were convinced that it is important that the farmers register because we don't want to lose that market. We have a role as Inter-Religious Council of Uganda and as faith communities in this in this country, we need to mobilise to ensure that the farmers get the right information about the registration,” Mr Joshua Kitakule, the IRCU secretary general, said during an engagement with UCDA officials and other partners in Kampala.

The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which takes effect in January 2025, stipulates that farmers must prove that their coffee has not been grown on land where deforestation has taken place.

About 63 percent of Uganda’s coffee exports end up in the EU market, hence the urgency of the registration exercise.

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