Joseline Kabuwo and 27 other women and youth in Nyabuswo believe that a small coffee seedling represents an opportunity to earn an income, build a sustainable livelihood, and contribute to the future of one of Uganda’s most important crops.

Joseline is the chairperson of a group of 28 women and young people (23 female), who manage the Nyabuswo and Kitonya coffee nursery beds under the Nyabuswo Coffee Farmers’ Cooperative in Kabarole District. The group raises quality coffee seedlings for sale to farmers across the Rwenzori region and other parts of Uganda, helping them access quality planting material to establish new coffee gardens and expand existing ones.

The nursery enterprise is also creating opportunities for the group members themselves. When the seedlings from their first season were ready, each member received at least 150 seedlings to establish a coffee garden at household level. This has enabled the members to become coffee producers themselves while continuing to earn collectively from the nursery business.

The group started the nursery enterprise in January 2025 with 12 kilograms of Arabica coffee seed. According to Joseline, their first season generated approximately UGX 15 million (about EUR 3,400) from the sale of seedlings. Rather than sharing all the proceeds among themselves, the members decided to reinvest part of the income to expand the business.

Building on the success of their first season, the group increased their investment to 14 kilograms of Arabica coffee seed for the second season. They now expect to generate over UGX 20 million (about EUR 4,570) once all the seedlings are sold.

The progress has encouraged Joseline and the other members to look beyond seedling production. The group is now considering expanding into coffee trading by purchasing coffee beans from farmers in the community, bulking them and selling them through the Nyabuswo Farmers’ Cooperative. This would provide an additional source of income for members while strengthening the cooperative’s role in connecting local coffee farmers to markets.

Their ambition reflects the wider opportunities within Uganda’s coffee sector. Coffee is a critical part of the country’s economy, with more than 1.8 million households involved in its production. The crop contributes significantly to Uganda’s export earnings and supports millions of livelihoods across its value chain. As Uganda works to increase coffee production and strengthen the value of the crop, farmers’ access to quality planting material, skills and markets will remain essential.

It is within this wider context that the Decent Work and Social Protection Project is supporting women and young people to participate more productively in Uganda’s agricultural value chains. Through the Private Sector Development and Consultancy Centre (PRICON), a project partner, the Nyabuswo Farmers’ Cooperative is among the farmer organisations receiving support to create and improve employment opportunities within the agriculture sector, including the coffee value chain.

The intervention focuses on improving productivity and skills, promoting value addition and market access, strengthening financial inclusion, and creating decent employment opportunities across agricultural value chains. By supporting women and young people to participate in sustainable economic activities, the project is contributing to increased incomes and stronger livelihoods.

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