Busoga is preparing to brew a new economic future as the region gears up to host the inaugural Busoga Coffee & Cocoa Tourism Festival (BCCTFEST) 2026, Uganda’s first regional platform dedicated to coffee, cocoa, agribusiness, tourism and sustainable investment.
The 3-day festival will run from 18th to 20th September 2026 at Jinja Showgrounds, and is expected to draw thousands of farmers, investors, exporters, tourism operators, policymakers and young entrepreneurs from across Uganda and beyond.
Brewing Prosperity, Cultivating Heritage
Held under the theme “Brewing Prosperity, Cultivating Heritage: Advancing Coffee & Cocoa Value Chains for Youth Employment and Socio-Economic Transformation,” the festival aims to show how agriculture and tourism can work together to create jobs and transform local economies.
Unlike traditional agricultural exhibitions, BCCTFEST is designed as an annual socio-economic platform that will connect every player across the coffee and cocoa value chains while showcasing Busoga’s tourism, culture and natural assets.
The festival is convened by Women’s Environmental Forum Uganda (WEF-Uganda), a Jinja-based youth-led organisation focused on environmental sustainability, women’s empowerment and enterprise development.
“Through our work with women, youth and farmer groups, we have seen tremendous potential in coffee and cocoa to change Busoga’s economic status,” said Resty Mbwali, Founder of WEF-Uganda and Festival Director. “We have also witnessed barriers including limited access to finance, weak market linkages and low value addition. The festival is our response by creating one platform where solutions, partnerships and opportunities come together.”
Mbwali added that coffee and cocoa are more than cash crops. “When grown responsibly, they restore degraded landscapes, improve biodiversity and provide long-term incomes. We believe these crops offer one of the strongest pathways for reducing poverty while protecting the environment.”
Over 300 Exhibitors, Thousands of Participants Expected
According to Christine Nababi, Festival Coordinator, the event will host more than 300 exhibitors and thousands of visitors.
“Farmers will access new markets, cooperatives will meet financial institutions, processors will connect with exporters, and young entrepreneurs will interact directly with investors and mentors,” Nababi said. “We want every participant to leave with new knowledge, new partnerships, and new opportunities.”
Activities lined up include: Business and investment dialogues and export linkage forums, Coffee cupping sessions and cocoa demos from pod to premium chocolate, farmer clinics and technical learning sessions, enterprise exhibitions, and cultural performances, destination tourism showcases highlighting Busoga’s attractions.
Youth and Women at the CentreA major highlight will be the Youth Innovation Challenge and Enterprise Hub, where young innovators will pitch ideas in coffee, cocoa, agritech, packaging, tourism and value addition to investors and business leaders.
Outstanding enterprises will be absorbed into a Post-Festival Accelerator Programme for mentorship, branding, export readiness and market linkages, with priority for youth-led and women-led businesses.
Tourism Experiences to Anchor the Festival The festival experience kicks off early with the Busoga Coffee & Cocoa Agro-Tourism Experience on 17th September in Busede, Jinja District. Participants will tour model farms, experience farm-to-cup coffee, and learn how agriculture and conservation create livelihoods.
Another signature event is the Nile Coffee Cruise on 19th September, a premium networking experience on the River Nile for investors, exporters and policymakers, complete with coffee tastings and business discussions. Organisers plan to make it a recurring tourism product.
Evenings will feature Nile Coffee Jazz Nights with live music, cultural performances, food and networking.
“For many years, Busoga has largely been known for sugarcane. We want people to discover another side of the region: its premium coffee, quality cocoa, beautiful tourism attractions and investment opportunities,” said Emmanuel Mawejje, Festival Communications and Marketing Manager.
He said the festival will showcase roasters, chocolatiers, baristas, processors, exporters, cooperatives, tourism businesses and financial institutions. Local governments will also participate to promote investment and public-private partnerships.
Why Busoga, Why Now
Organisers say Busoga has all the natural advantages fertile soils, reliable rainfall, the River Nile, rich culture and hardworking communities — to become one of Uganda’s leading coffee and cocoa regions.
“Our goal is to build an ecosystem where agriculture, tourism, conservation and enterprise reinforce one another to generate lasting community wealth,” Mbwali said.
With UBOS 2022 data ranking Busoga among the lowest in socio-economic indicators, the festival is being positioned as a turning point for jobs, enterprise growth and inclusive transformation.
The Busoga Coffee & Cocoa Tourism Festival is therefore more than a celebration of crops. It is a platform for building resilient communities, creating sustainable businesses, protecting the environment, and positioning Busoga as one of Africa’s emerging destinations for coffee, cocoa and agro-tourism.
