Case Study

Origin Issue Assessment: Uganda Coffee

As part of the JDE Common Grounds Program, the Rainforest Alliance conducted research into the key risks present in the Ugandan coffee sector. According to the 2021 Uganda Origin Issue Assessment (OIA) the following themes are significant risks in the country: child labor, harvest and post-harvest practices, and minimum wage.

Coffee is among the products produced by child labor in Uganda. In harvest season, a decline in school attendance is observed. Children perform hazardous work in coffee-growing families to support the farm and household activities. Poor harvesting practices on Ugandan coffee farms, such as harvesting unripe cherries, are responsible for lower coffee quality and little on-farm value addition. Financial instability creates pressure to produce coffee as quickly as possible and therefore hinders the implementation of good practices. Uganda does not have a national minimum wage in place. Due to the significant presence of subsistence farming, workers on coffee farms are casual and receive low pay. Few have written contracts with their employers.