Becoming self-sufficient in its coffee business activities

Ibanda Growers Cooperative Society is located in Ibanda town, Bugoye sub-county, Kasase District, on the slopes of Mount Rwenzori, approximately 15 kilometers from Kasese town. The slopes of Mount Rwenzori, consisting of volcanic soil, are ideal ground for growing high quality Arabica coffee. It is grown by almost every farmer on the slopes and, being a cash crop, forms the main income generating source for households in the area. IGCS was founded on the first of august 1977. The membership of IGCS consists of 20 RPOs (average of 30 farmers per RPO) and 5 fully registered affiliated PCs (average of 350 farmers per PC). All RPOs as well as all PCs do not have a management team. Most of the RPOs and affiliated PCs are active, meaning that they have last season contributed coffee. IGCS is located in Ibanda town, Bugoye sub-county, Kasase District, on the slopes of Mount Rwenzori, approximately 15 kilometers from Kasese town. Currently the membership of the cooperative consists of 20 rural producer groups and 5 affiliated primary cooperatives all together representing approximately 2100 individual farmer households. IGCS was founded on the first of august 1977. However due to the introduction of free market economy in Uganda the cooperative went bankrupt mid 1980s. In 2003 IGCS was revived and by then the cooperative started its services to its members mainly by providing micro finance support facilities. Today however IGCS's most important service has become output marketing of members coffee, next to input provision of coffee seedlings and tarpaulins, trainings on good agricultural practices, transport services, and washing and hulling services. Mainly due to support of USADF in 2013 the cooperative has shown significant improvement in its organizaional and coffee business operations. It has been able to hire a dynamic and energetic management team, improved on financial management, and mobilized and capacitated more members. Although improvements are significant, the cooperative is far from able to be self supporting in its operations. With the USADF support expected to stop at the end of 2015, there are many improvements that have to take place in order to realize a sustainable business model for for IGCS.