SIRONKO, UGANDA. In a major relief for local farmers, Sironko District has officially been declared free from Coffee Leaf Rust Disease, a destructive fungal infection that had plagued coffee plantations last year, causing significant financial losses.
Coffee Leaf Rust, caused by the multicellular basidiomycete fungus (Hemileia vastatrix), weakens coffee plants by attacking their leaves, leading to reduced yields and poor-quality beans. The disease struck Sironko in November 2023, severely affecting key coffee-growing sub-counties, including Bukisa, Masaba, Bumalimba, Buhugu, and Bumasifwa.
