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Dr Clarke capitalises on coffee processing, agro tourism
What you need to know:
- Coffee is picked, taken to the wet mill, and processed on the same day. It is cleaned in a pre-cleaner which blows out light materials such as dry leaves. The coffee is then taken through a water system (wet process) then into a process in which stones are removed.
When he set out to establish the Clarke Farm Limited in Kyarusozi in Kabarole District, his goal was to have a successful farm exporting washed Robusta Coffee.
He also planned a large out-grower scheme by buying both Robusta and Arabica coffee from smallholder farmers, giving them a premium price and then processing the coffee on his own farm to export quality.
So far so good, but Dr Ian Clarke is quick to add that it is a high investment and a long-term return, not a quick money venture.
How he started
He acquired 1,500 acres of land with no squatters, which was also a big incentive since he would not be in dispute with anyone.
Dr Clarke planted long, medium- and short-term crops to see how successful they would be. Trees for long term, maize for short term and coffee for medium and long term. Of all the crops, coffee has so far been the most successful.
Coffee his cash cow
He decided to plant 690 acres of coffee as he reduced the acreage on which he planted maize. Of those, 3.5 hectares are of Arabica coffee under trial. There are 52 salaried employees and 250 non-permanent employees.
Dr Clarke initially wanted to see if commercial farming in Uganda was viable and which crops should one plant, so it was a proof of concept.
His bigger inspiration was the first hand experience he had as a boy who brought up on a farm. Coffee as his cash cow is handled through processes.
Management process
Coffee is picked, taken to the wet mill, and processed on the same day. It is cleaned in a pre-cleaner which blows out light materials such as dry leaves.
The coffee is then taken through a water system (wet process) then into a process in which stones are removed.
It is pulped into good coffee and floaters or rejected coffee. Both coffees, parchment one and two, are put in tanks overnight and washed by an eco-washer the following day.
Drying
The coffee is spread on tarpaulins at the drying yard. The floaters are dried as kiboko coffee.
If the weather is good, coffee is dried under the sun, if the weather is not conducive, driers are used. After it is dried, the coffee is taken to the hurlers and hurled into green beans and stored.
Agro-tourism
The Clarke Farm has an agro tourism component that under the auspice of a coffee lodge from where a visitor can view the whole farm establishment.
Clivan Asiingwire is the assistant farm manager at the Clarke Farm. He says the farm has capacity of pulping 60 tons within 24 hours. Some of the coffee is sold to Kyagalanyi Coffee Limited, Ugacof Limited and ultimately exported.
Dr Clarke observes that most of Uganda is in small holder farms, so it is unusual for people to experience a large well developed farm. His aim of marrying agriculture and tourism is to demonstrate the beauty of Uganda and show commercial farming which is appropriate to the context - providing jobs and income for local people and export earnings from the production of coffee.
He adds, “People are interested in how coffee is grown and processed, and Clarke Farm gives tourists both local and international this experience. So far, I have had Ugandan and foreign tourists, and both have loved the experience.”
ON FARM
He decided to plant 690 acres of coffee as he reduced the acreage on which he planted maize. Of those, 3.5 hectares are of Arabica coffee under trial. There are 52 salaried employees and 250 non-permanent employees.
