Kalungu District Council has enacted an ordinance aimed at combating vanilla theft and promoting responsible farming practices.
According to Mr. Kamadi Nyombi Mukiibi, the Kalungu District chairperson, the ordinance seeks to coordinate and regulate vanilla cultivation and trade in the district.
Mr. Mukiibi highlighted the prevalence of vanilla theft in the district and the need for stricter penalties to deter offenders, as well as to restore farmers’ confidence in the justice system.
Under the ordinance, individuals caught stealing vanilla face a minimum jail term of six months and must compensate the affected farmers for their losses.
Additionally, the ordinance discourages harmful farming practices, imposing a penalty of Shs400,000 for the use of chemical fertilizers that compromise the organic quality of vanilla beans.
Mr. Mukiibi outlined plans to regulate vanilla dealers through licensing, aiming to enhance district revenue and ensure accountability in the vanilla trade. Licensing will be renewed annually.
The ordinance has been forwarded to the Solicitor General for review and is expected to be gazetted upon approval.
Mr. Paul Ssebaggala, a prominent vanilla farmer in the district, expressed optimism about the ordinance’s potential to reduce vanilla theft.
Currently, there are no specific laws targeting vanilla theft in Uganda’s Penal Code, making it challenging to prosecute offenders effectively.
Kalungu District is a significant producer of vanilla beans in central Uganda, contributing to the country’s reputation for producing high-quality vanilla.
Uganda’s black gourmet vanilla enjoys a competitive advantage in international markets, particularly in Europe, where most of it is exported.
While vanilla was once a primary source of income for many households in several districts, fluctuating prices and theft have led some farmers to abandon the crop.
Statistics show that Ugandan farmers produce approximately 31.4 metric tonnes of vanilla annually.
