Ugano

Ugano station is located in the Mbinga district, Ruvuma region, 13 km from Mbinga town. The Ruvuma region in the southern highlands of Tanzania, with fertile soils formed from igneous rocks, is one of the major 12 coffee producing districts in Tanzania. It produces some of the finest, mild Arabica coffee, accounting for approximately 25% of the total Arabica coffee production in Tanzania. 42,000 smallholders cultivate 32,000 ha of land, which accounts for about 70% of the districts entire economy. Germany is the major buyer of Mbinga coffee. The district, with rainfall ranging from 1,000 to 2,000mm per annum, has the potential of producing more than 52,000 tones of clean Arabica coffee per year. The potential for coffee cultivation is estimated at 128,000 ha but currently, only about 52,000 ha are under Arabica coffee production.

The function of Ugano Station is to support the development of the coffee industry in the Southern Highland Zone by disseminating proven technologies to district extension staff, farmers, and estates through the provision of training courses and by promoting extension messages; and supporting the central research program by facilitating on-farm and on-station.