Abstract:

This study critically reviews Uganda’s tea sub-sector performance in relation to the institutional framework. The tea sector has performed far below its potential largely owing to poor
coordination of activities in the sector. Uganda has about 200,000 hectares suitable for tea
production, but only 14 percent (28,000 hectares) is utilised both by small holder and estate
owners. Exports have stagnated at around 50,000 metric tonnes in the last 5 years. On the
other hand, Kenya has succeeded in transforming its tea sub-sector is largely due to effective
coordination of policies and institutions. We argue that the challenges faced by Uganda’s tea
sector are as a result of coordination failures in policy, institutions and programmes across
the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies. Lessons learnt from Kenya points to the
need of Uganda having a comprehensive tea policy and effective institutional framework to
coordinate the various interventions and programmes in the sub-sector.