Brewing Change: Uganda Tackles Child Labour and Unsafe Work in Coffee Farming
Written By Maxine Ansah
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As the sun rises over Uganda’s verdant hills, countless hands go to work harvesting the beans that power a global industry. Coffee is not only the country’s leading export; it is a cultural mainstay and economic backbone. Yet, in the shadows of this billion-dollar industry, many of the hands that pick the beans are those of children.
Uganda is Africa’s largest exporter of Robusta coffee, a crop that sustains millions of livelihoods across the nation. However, behind the rich aroma of the morning brew lies an uncomfortable truth. Child labour remains a persistent challenge in Uganda’s coffee sector, with children often engaged in hazardous tasks that compromise their health, safety and future.
According to Uganda’s Labour Force Survey of 2021, the number of children aged 5 to 17 in child labour surged from 2.4 million in 2016/2017 to 6.2 million in 2021. This figure excludes household chores. The vast majority of these children work in agriculture, including in coffee farming. In some districts, child labour prevalence in the coffee value chain ranges from 20 to 75 percent. Many of these children carry out tasks such as lifting heavy loads, handling sharp tools and working long hours under the sun, with minimal protection.
In response to this crisis, the International Labour Organization (ILO), in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Trade Centre (ITC) and UNICEF, has launched the CLEAR Supply Chains project. The initiative, co-financed by the European Union, aims to tackle the root causes of child labour in agricultural supply chains. By building the capacity of local authorities, communities and private sector actors, the project promotes both child protection and safer working conditions for farmers.
In May 2025, a pivotal step was taken in Uganda’s central region. The ILO and FAO conducted a three-day training workshop for labour, agricultural and community development officers from Masaka and Kalungu districts. The training focused on child labour prevention and occupational safety and health (OSH). A total of 28 district officials participated, including 18 men and 10 women. Participants also included representatives from the Kalungu District Farmers Association (KADFA), SOLIDARIDAD, the International Women Coffee Alliance, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) and the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD).
The training was designed not only to increase awareness but also to equip agricultural officers with the tools to detect and respond to child labour on farms. It also aimed to integrate these officers more formally into existing Child Wellbeing Committees at both district and sub-county levels. During the sessions, officials developed action plans to guide their work in identifying, monitoring and addressing child labour. A key recommendation was the review and update of Uganda’s national hazardous work list, proposing that coffee be recognised as a priority commodity due to the widespread involvement of children in risky farm activities.
Rauben Keimusya, Assistant Commissioner at MAAIF, noted the broader significance of the initiative. “This training is timely and crucial as we work to improve social and environmental safeguards in Uganda’s coffee sector, in line with new European Union regulations. We are committed to integrating child labour prevention into new coffee regulations and standard operating procedures.”
The CLEAR Supply Chains project is part of a larger global effort to eliminate child labour by 2025, in line with Sustainable Development Goal Target 8.7. Uganda’s commitment to this target requires multi-sectoral collaboration and sustained capacity building at the grassroots level.
Looking ahead, more training sessions are planned throughout the year. These will focus on developing a core group of trainers among public and private agricultural officers, with the goal of improving farm-level working conditions and reducing reliance on child labour.
As Uganda strengthens its commitment to sustainable coffee production, initiatives like CLEAR are helping to ensure that the country’s most valuable export can be enjoyed with a clear conscience. Behind every ethically sourced cup lies the promise of a better future one in which no child is left behind in the fields.
