NUCAFE and FACT Methodology

08-01-2016 NUCAFE uses the FACT Methodology to address policy constraints faced by coffee farmers in Uganda.

Using the FACT[i] methodology, NUCAFE[ii] has successfully executed its advocacy activities following the step by step approach to tackle documented policy concerns of coffee farmers. Further still this is employed at association level by the trained FACT participants at that level. In the process, this methodology has contributed immensely on the performance of the advocacy services, as a result of this the organization was recognized by EAFF to share during the policy officers training in Kenya, excerpts were presented on the just concluded coffee festival which tremendously attracted the involvement of the youth in the coffee value chain, during the festival event, the Minister of Agriculture officiated the ceremony and farmers position on the coffee regulatory framework was presented to him. Additionally with the recent published article in the CTA spore magazine, NUCAFE was mentioned to be among the top 20 innovators in its advocacy work. This has been consistent from influencing the development of the coffee policy way back in 2008 and being passed in 2013, again NUCAFE is taking a leading role in providing a basis for the smooth implementation of the coffee policy with support from USAID Uganda, as an additional effort to address the multiple policy challenges facing the coffee sector, these advocacy efforts have caused initial steps to the  enact a coffee law in Uganda and revision of the coffee regulations thus contributing to a conducive enabling environment for coffee farming in Uganda.

Prior to this success, grassroots advocacy forums were organized in which FACT field staff trainees facilitated these consultative meetings, key stakeholders at the district level were engaged and key to note was the centre of compiling farmers realty issues in the presence of policy makers. Identified key policy issues were documented and associations came up with smart proposals, this process resulted into farmers accessing opportunities from local governments for example seedlings and trainings among others. Some of the key issues identified were;

• The need for the implementation of the coffee policy, finalization of the coffee strategy and enactment of a Uganda Coffee Law.

• Developing a Uganda coffee standard and improving the regulatory framework.

• Supporting domestic consumption, branding and value addition as well as the replanting programs to increase productivity using more pest and disease resistant coffee varieties.

• The need to promote farmer ownership so as to support a farmer led, owned and controlled extension services system within the coffee industry.

• The need to focus on the sustainability of coffee quality through controlling and stopping the actions of middlemen who usually exploit farmers by offering very low prices and often compromise the coffee quality.

• Inadequate enforcement of coffee regulations especially at production level

• Insufficient access to marketing information and skills especially for women and youth farmers.

During the membership consultations, the FACT methodology guided the definition of roles for the different players within the farmer organizations. This has continuously given direction to putting together synergies within the farmer organizations towards attaining the common goal of interest through the streamlining of who does what so as to bridge the existing policy gaps.

Participatory research has been often a key aspect in the implementation of the FACT methodology as a way of gathering data through focus discussions with farmers, other private stakeholders from which analysis is done in order to authenticate evidence based data that can be a basis for further lobbying. Evidence based data has been used to write smart proposals that have facilitated further lobbying with government and seen tremendous growth of the NUCAFE member farmer organizations through their participation. The involvement of the farmers has facilitated the validation of any feedback from data collected and analyzed hence provided more room for adaptation of better approaches to engage and interest government and its agencies into quickening the processes of enacting the coffee law.

Identifying the issues to follow up on with high hopes of resulting into the enactment of the coffee law has required strategic strong partnerships and collaborations. NUCAFE put up a good lay out on mapping out stakeholders and stakeholder analysis for lobbying and advocacy. Ranking and knowing the relevant stakeholder to lobby for the selected issues, has helped NUCAFE to  guide the decisions  taken on the issues being followed up on considering their power and interest to make things happen. NUCAFE has built the capacity of is members to be able to plot the power/interest rid of the different stakeholders. With the bottom up approach, the progress into influencing government has seen some good progress where the Coffee strategy has been approved and this is going to help in the operationalizing of the coffee policy. The principles of the coffee bill have also been drafted and now submitted to Top Policy makers for further review. The anticipated result is to see a whole coffee sub sector law enacted and implemented.

This article was developed by Rashida Nakabuga & Rose Nakafu, Membership & Advocacy team NUCAFE