HISTORY
Our Story
Arabica Coffee originated from Abyssinia, the present-day Ethiopia and was introduced in Bugisu, by the then British Colonial Government in 1912. The first area to accept the growing of coffee was in Bumudu Parish in Buwalasi Sub-county in Budadiri County.
Since it was a newly introduced crop, some farmers did not easily accept growing the coffee crop. However, the local Chiefs and clan leaders quickly adopted the growing of this Arabica Coffee.
The first coffee nursery bed was established at Masekele in Bukiyiti Parish in 1915. Bukiyiti was the then seat of the county administration.
Between 1915 and 1931, the marketing of Arabica Coffee was handled by private traders, whose knowledge about the drying, grading and storage of coffee was very limited. Hence the coffee produced was of very poor quality and realize a very low price in the world market.
Consequently, this bad situation led to formation of the Bugisu Coffee Scheme by the Bugisu District Administration in 1931 in order to enable it buy coffee directly from the farmer in Bugisu and to ensure that high quality coffee standards were achieved through proper processing and storage.
In that very year (1931), the Secretary of State for Colonies, called Lord Passfield, visited Bugisu and examined the coffee that was being grown and foresaw a bright future for the Coffee crop, provided its proper processing and marketing methods were observed. Accordingly, Lord Passfield recommended that Bugisu Arabica Coffee Industry should be developed on the lines, which would enable it to be handed over to the Cooperative Organization owned and operated by the Coffee growers themselves.
HISTORY
Continuation
On the recommendation of the District Commissioner, Mr. Elliot in 1929, the Bugisu Coffee Scheme sold the Coffee to the Bugisu Coffee Marketing Company which then exported it.
In 1933 the Bugisu Coffee Board was established with the ultimate objective of developing the industry for full ownership and operation by the Coffee growers themselves. This Board went through a transitional period of changes, which resulted in the building up of a healthy financial position for the scheme. While all these changes were taking place, the then Protectorate Government was fostering the establishment of Co-operative societies throughout Uganda.
The Co-operative Societies Ordinance was enacted in 1946 providing for the establishment of the department of the Co-operative Development. Following this enactment; the Co-operative societies which had been established around the Bugisu Coffee Scheme’s Managing Agent called Bugisu Coffee Marketing Company were formally recognized.
By 1951, the coffee Industry had undergone many changes and Bugisu Coffee farmers had gained more representation on the Bugisu Coffee Board. As a result of the growing numbers of farmers on the Board, the Board decided that when three quarters of Coffee growers became members of a society, that society could take over all the marketing functions in their area from the Bugisu Coffee Marketing Company, which they regarded as middlemen. Accordingly, this Company was forced to re-evaluate its activities with the farmers. After the evaluation the company decided to go into voluntary liquidation.
In 1952, four separate coffee Unions based at the Coffee drying centers were formed. These drying centers were at Buyaga and Nampanga in Budadiri County, Busamaga in Bungokho County and Bubulo in Bubulo County.
The Objectives here were for the growers to take over the functions of the Bugisu Coffee Board so as to have full control of the Coffee Industry which they were firmly and steadily establishing as well as to eliminate middlemen.
With all these changes, the quality of Arabica coffee greatly improved leading to its high demand on the world markets and the price it fetched greatly improved. Ina the same period, the reserve fund of the Bugisu Coffee Scheme held by the Bugisu Coffee Board in Trust for Bugisu Arabica Coffee growers, rose to the tonne of the One million sterling pounds (£1,000,000).
In 1954, the members of the four local unions felt the need to form one big Central Union. Consequently, one Union was founded and registered as the Bugisu Co-operative Union Limited in July 1954. Shortly afterwards, a new Bugisu Coffee Ordinance was enacted in 1955 providing for BCU Ltd to take over all the marketing functions from the Bugisu coffee Scheme as well as all the Scheme’s assets except the reserve funds, which were still held by the Bugisu Coffee Board.