Zombo Intensifies Preparations for Agricultural Trade Show, Coffee Conference

By Mike Rwothomio

Zombo District Local Government has intensified preparations for the 2026 Agricultural Trade Show and Coffee Conference scheduled for November 11–13 at the Kyambogo University Paidha Campus playground.

The three-day event, launched at a press conference held at the district headquarters on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, seeks to promote commercial agriculture, strengthen market linkages and boost coffee production and exports.

Running under the theme “Building Climate Resilient Agriculture for Sustainable Agro-Industrialization and Market Linkages for Wealth Creation,” the show aims to unlock Zombo’s agricultural potential, with a target of increasing annual coffee production and exports to approximately 61 metric tonnes within the next five years.

District Production Officer Dr. Walter Kumakech said the event would connect farmers with research institutions, agro-input dealers, processors, traders, buyers and investors to promote modern farming technologies and sustainable agricultural practices.

He said priority value chains to be showcased include coffee, bananas, Irish potatoes, tea, cassava, honey, horticulture, aquaculture, dairy and small ruminants.

Kumakech added that government interventions to increase coffee production would include supplying seedlings, fertilisers and other agro-inputs, alongside extension and advisory services to improve productivity, enhance quality and reduce post-harvest losses.

The coffee conference will also examine challenges affecting the local coffee industry and identify possible solutions across the value chain.

District Agricultural Officer Patrick Aneniu said the event would prioritise practical approaches to climate change adaptation, environmental conservation and integrated farming to improve agricultural productivity, food and nutrition security, and household incomes.

Chief Administrative Officer Robert Abenaitwe said the trade show would build farmers’ capacity for large-scale coffee production and encourage the adoption of modern farming practices.

According to figures presented during the launch, Zombo exported 5.6 metric tonnes of parchment coffee in 2026. The district has approximately 9,500 hectares under coffee, with current productivity estimated at 0.1 kilogramme per tree. Authorities want to increase production to three kilogrammes per tree in the coming years.

Abenaitwe said the district would work with relevant stakeholders to support farmers in achieving the ambitious production targets.

Charles Etoma, the Regional Agricultural Officer for the Arua region under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), pledged the ministry’s technical support for the event.

District LCV Chairperson James Oruna Oyullu, who also chairs the organising committee, called on farmers, leaders from other coffee-producing districts in West Nile, businesspeople and other stakeholders to participate in the exhibition.

Meanwhile, District Tourism Officer Jovian Kayenyparwoth said the event would also showcase the cultural heritage of the Alur, Kebu, Lendu, Madi and Lugbara communities through traditional regalia, dances, local cuisines, beverages and coffee products.

Assistant Resident District Commissioner Isaac Urochi assured participants of heightened security and compliance with Ebola standard operating procedures.

The exhibition is expected to attract district agricultural extension officers, MAAIF, the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), the National Coffee Research Institute (NaCORI), development partners, civil society organisations, and religious and cultural leaders.

Discussions will focus on commercial agriculture, agro-processing, value addition, climate-smart farming and market access.

The Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries is expected to attend as the Guest of Honour.

Organisers have designed the event as a one-stop platform for agricultural learning, business networking, investment opportunities and cultural entertainment, with farmers, traders, students, researchers and members of the public invited to participate.