What is ROFCA?
Ruboni Organic Coffee Farmers’ Association (ROCFA) is a community-based organisation; registered and incorporated with Uganda Registration Services Bureau as a company limited by guarantee in Uganda. The organisation’s mission is to promote sustainable organic coffee farming practices that enhance livelihoods, ensure environmental conservation, and foster community development in Ruboni.
The Association’s head office is located in the Ibanda Kyanya Town Council, Kasese District, western Uganda.
In today’s highlight, we feature ROCFA member Mr. George Katikaimu Bwambale, a 57 years old farmer and resident of Ruboni Community. Mr. Bwambale, whose middle-name ‘Katikaimu’, meaning ‘One-stick’ as his grandfather was an only child, says Coffee is part of his culture, as he was born and grew up in Ruboni. He started coffee farming in 1990 and he has not looked back since then. Mr. Bwambale considers coffee as his major cashcrops, followed by matooke, and other foodcrops.
Mr. Bwambale learned about ROCFA about a year ago, when the ROCFA chairperson and operations lead shared with him more details about the association. This is the third time Mr. Bwambale is selling red cherries this season, and this is his first experience making a transaction with Tom’s Green Coffee as a ROCFA member.
Mr. Bwambale estimates that on average, a farmer who owns an acre or bigger property can sell over 1000 kilograms of Red Cherries per season, while one who owns a smaller property can sell about 200 kilograms on average.
We asked Mr. Bwambale a few questions; and his responses were as below.
- Are you happy with this transaction and sale you are making with Tom’s Green Coffee?
“Yes. I am very happy.” - Why?
“Because they are buying our coffee at a good price.”
- Do you have hopes of selling more to Tom’s Green Coffee?
“Yes.”
This season, Mzee Bwambale sold a total of 160 kilograms of red cherries in total as a ROCFA member and he believes he will be able to sell a lot more next season, as this time round he had already sold to other buyers outside the association, before his joining. Mr. Bwambale, a lively and jolly 57 year old, graced the scene with his son, who he says is also a coffee farmer, but is yet to join the association. His son helped him carry coffee to the selling place. - You have heard about the other programs ROCFA wants to start, like the SACCO/Microfinance. What are your thoughts on that?
“The micro-finance program is actually what we want. It is very important.” - What else do you think the association could do; what are your expectations?
“It is just to help us, to give us loans because we have our crops which we can always sell to the
association during harvest season, and pay back. You know we have students, we need to pay
their fees. So we want to be able to ask for a loan, and they give us.”
- What would happen if the harvest didn’t yield as expected?
“When it doesn’t come out, we wait for the next season. Yeah.”
- Would you advise other farmers to join the association?
“Exactly. I would do so.”
- Why?
“Because, haha” – Mr. Bwambale pauses and laughs reflectively before he continues.
“Because, them joining the association would mean that they can have assistance when they
have problems.”
- Sir, have you faced any problem so far? With the Association or the Ruboni Community members?
“Yes. I have. Some other communities and individuals here that buy our coffee and other crops do not want to pay.”
Besides farming, Mr. Bwambale works as a tour guide for the Rwenzori mountain hikers, a job
he sees as a side hustle since in his words, “It is very cold in the mountains”.
Written by Betty Lunkuse