Coffee seedlingsGovernment has backtracked on its earlier promise to distribute free coffee seedlings to farmers, raising concerns among MPs from coffee growing areas.Government has instead advised farmers to buy coffee seedlings using the Parish Development Model (PDM) funds. Under PDM arrangement, Government gives a few (100) selected individuals per year and gives each of them UGX1M.Ephraim Biraaro (Buhweju West) raised the concern during the 16th September 2025, plenary sitting, where he tasked the Ministry of Agriculture to explain why the promise made in July 2025 to supply coffee plantlets to farmers hasn’t been honoured yet the planting season is back.“In July this year, the Ministry of Agriculture, circulated a form requesting the farmers to ask for coffee plantlets due for this season, which is September and October, for planting. A few days ago, we talked to some of the people in the Ministry of Agriculture and they are saying that there is no coffee because the policy changed. Now, the people are in need of coffee, then the Ministry of Agriculture circulated forms for requests that created anxiety and expectations. The Ministry of Agriculture should respond and fulfill the promise it made and put a standing promise or standard for how farmers throughout the country will be receiving coffee plantlets,” Biraaro said.Bright Rwamirama, Minister of State for Animal Husbandry wondered how MP Biraaro would feign ignorance over the fact that the policy on allocation of seedlings shifted yet the Ministry revealed this change to Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture to which Biraaro is a member and he went on to ask Parliament for more time to update Parliament on the matter.“First of all, the person raising the matter is a member of the Committee of Agriculture, and we have appeared before them, they know that the policy shifted. The money which was for seedlings and planting material was taken to PDM. We have also ably circulated lists of certified farmers who can give genuine planting and stocking materials. However, there has been increasing demand for coffee seedlings, especially in areas which were traditionally not coffee growing but are suitable, like northern Uganda, Zombo, and some new areas, we are still under consideration, I beg to be given time to give a comprehensive statement on coffee in a week’s time,” Rwamirama said.The Minister’s response prompted Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa to ask the Minister to clarify if there are no seedlings being distributed by the government to which Minister Rwamirama replied, “There are no seedlings to be distributed or to be. What is available for us now is to support the already existing farmers with fertilizers and it is going to be done through the district and extension workers.”Linda Auma, Chairperson, Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture confirmed to Parliament that her Committee had been briefed about the change in policy but the Committee was opposed to having coffee seedlings money being lumped with PDM funds stating that the current policy has created tension among farmers.“It is true that the policy was shifted, but in our plea as a committee, even the time we were rationalising, we complained to the President on the need of more seedlings and the amount that a farmer needs to incur for him or her to plant coffee. In the corrigenda we received in the last budget processes, government gave in funds for procuring coffee seedlings and I am aware, in this quarter, there is already a release for coffee seedlings. But there is tension, yet, on ground, farmers want coffee seedlings like for Northern and Eastern Uganda, gardens are ready for coffee seedlings,” argued Auma.Auma who doubles as Lira Woman Representative also wondered why the Ministry is prioritizing distribution of fertilizers as opposed to coffee seedlings.“In the last quarter, funds were released, but it was diverted for harriers, I am concerned. There were appropriated funds for coffee seedlings, now we are talking about fertilizers, we are talking about chemicals, we are talking about inputs. Are we really fair? Are we really equitable?”Jonathan Odur (Erute South) criticised the Ministry of Agriculture for not taking Ugandans seriously wondering why the Ministry has negated its mandate to deliver services, yet it is the same government that committed to provide the coffee seedlings and Parliament allocated funds in the budget for the same activity, only for Minister Rwamirama to disown the whole process.He argued, “My concern is that government has to take Uganda seriously and I have always questioned whether these ministers are actually serious. And that confusion, we are always dealing with it here, each and every time. Can they go back and organise? I know we have six months, we have no options, six or seven months to entertain the government but they should be serious because we cannot be wasting time. And then we entertain these sorts of things. It’s really disheartening.” “It will actually waste time of members of parliament that you come and ask questions and then there is no plausible answer from government. Are they in charge? Have they been demoralised? Are they tired? What is the issue?” added Odur.Gorreth Namugga (Mawogola South) also sought an update on how far Government has gone to pay farmers that supplied coffee seedlings to Government in the past years before the policy was changed noting, “But I also want to seek clarification from the Minister, as he comes with a statement, let him also update us on how far he has gone on payment of the seedlings that were supplied the previous season. But you have over domestic areas of close to UGX60Bn. When do you intend to pay our farmers? You need to also give a statement on that.”Minister responded to both Odur and Namugga dispelling assertions that the NRM Government isn’t serious and said that the Ministry of Agriculture is working with the Ministry of Finance to find money to pay the outstanding coffee arrears.The Minister noted, “We are serious, and I am serious for that matter. Because whatever I said is a statement of facts. I never said on Hansard that fertilizers are more important than seedlings. I said what is available now, which we are distributing to existing farmers, to make sure that the already planted coffee does not suffer because of drought, because of failed weather conditions, are fertilizers. We have already paid some areas and we are working with the Ministry of Finance to address the issue of arrears. The way we are receiving money is quarterly releases and when they gave us the quarterly release, we paid whatever it could sweep from the arrears,” he said.Deputy Speaker agreed to give the Minister more time to bring a comprehensive statement detailing the policy shift, but he also tasked the Minister to include in the impending statement guidelines on the procedure that farmers can obtain the fertilizers.He noted, “You will go a bit deeper and tell us the procedure of how one accesses the fertilizers, for example, because it sounded as if you have already started distributing. My constituents, we survive on coffee, we have not received any single bag, we don’t know where to apply from. So, if we could be guided properly in your statement, guide us, say for farmers who want fertilizers, apply through this way, and you tell us whether it will be for free or cost sharing and all that.”The post Uproar As Gov’t Backtracks On Earlier Promise To Give Free Coffee Seedlings To Farmers appeared first on Business Focus.