History

The Bushika Integrated Area Cooperative Enterprise (BIACE) is a secondary-level farmer cooperative founded in May 2010 in Bududa District, Uganda. Initially comprising 10 primary societies, it was officially registered in 2015 and received permanent certification in 2017. BIACE now includes 22 primary cooperatives, with three certified for Fairtrade and Organic coffee production, representing 3,040 smallholder farmers, of whom 2,015 grow coffee.

BIACE collaborates with local, national, and international partners, including farmer institutions, the District Government, and NGOs, to support community development. Its activities align with Uganda’s National Development Plan and the Uganda Coffee Development Authority, focusing on poverty reduction, increased production, and value addition for smallholder farmers.

Farmer engagement

Social responsibility initiatives include protected springs, bridges, and toilets; constructing energy-efficient cooking stoves; promoting the forest garden approach; and engaging in carbon credits, and financing.

Mission

To enhance production, collective marketing, and value addition in coffee and other value chains among cooperative members, fostering a sustainable supply of quality products, higher revenues, increased member incomes, and improved livelihoods.

Vision

To be a leading agricultural cooperative in bringing about Social, Economic and cultural transformation of communities in the Elgon Region for better livelihoods.