In Apyeta Parish, Lamwo District, maize remains an important crop for many households. However, for 46-year-old farmer Kenneth Akena, it is no longer the only source of income he depends on. After years of relying largely on seasonal crop production, Akena has expanded his farming enterprise by establishing a commercial woodlot through the IFPA-CD Woodlots Project.

On his three-acre farm in Ogili Sub-county, rows of clonal eucalyptus and Tectona grandis (teak) now stand alongside his maize fields. While maize continues to support household food needs and short-term expenses, the trees represent a long-term investment aimed at providing sustainable income through the sale of timber and poles.

“I planted these trees to get timber and poles for income,” Akena says. “People here buy timber at a good price. Before, I was planting only maize, but from what I have learnt, these trees have more return.”

Implemented through a consortium of partners with support from the World Bank, the IFPA-CD Woodlots Project is helping farmers in refugee-hosting districts establish commercial woodlots while improving household incomes and environmental resilience. Through project-supported training and technical guidance, farmers are gaining practical skills needed to manage tree growing as a business.

For Akena, the transition did not mean abandoning crop farming. Instead, it meant reducing dependence on a single source of income and creating opportunities for greater financial stability in the future.

“I still grow maize,” he says, “but I also wanted something that can support me in the long term.”

Building Skills for Commercial Forestry

Akena is among hundreds of farmers in Lamwo District who have received training and technical support through the IFPA-CD Woodlots Project. While the provision of quality seedlings was important, he says the greatest benefit has been learning how to properly establish and manage a productive woodlot.

“We were trained on weed management after planting,” he explains. “We learned that weeds compete with tree seedlings for sunlight, water, and nutrients, especially in the first two years.”

Farmers were introduced to practical management techniques such as spot weeding and ring weeding, where only the area immediately surrounding each seedling is cleared. These approaches help reduce labour requirements while ensuring young trees receive adequate access to water, light, and nutrients during the critical establishment phase.

Training also covered safe and effective use of herbicides and pesticides, including measures to control weeds and termites, which are among the most common threats to young plantations.

For Akena, these lessons transformed tree planting from a trial-and-error activity into a structured and manageable farming enterprise.

According to Denis Emmanuel Oweka, Regional Coordinator for the Project, the selection of tree species is guided by both scientific considerations and market demand.

Clonal eucalyptus is a fast-growing variety capable of producing marketable poles within three to five years under good management. Unlike traditional eucalyptus grown from seed, clonal varieties develop extensive lateral root systems that enable faster nutrient uptake and growth.

“Clonal eucalyptus gives quicker returns to farmers,” Oweka explains.

Alongside eucalyptus, farmers are also establishing teak plantations. Although teak requires a longer growing period of between eight and fifteen years, it produces high-quality timber that commands significantly higher market value.

“Tectona takes about 8 to 15 years depending on management,” Oweka says. “But it produces strong, high-quality timber.”

Tree Growing as a Business

A key objective of the IFPA-CD Woodlots Project is to help farmers view tree growing as a viable commercial enterprise rather than an occasional farm activity.

Steve Amooti Nsita, Director of Technical Services at Havilah Company Ltd, says early results from Lamwo are encouraging.

“These trees have been good. Most of them are alive,” he says. “But farmers must treat this as a business if they are to benefit.”

The Project promotes establishment of pure woodlots using recommended spacing of three by three metres, allowing approximately 450 trees per acre. This approach maximizes productivity while simplifying management activities such as weeding, thinning, and harvesting.

Beyond generating income, commercial woodlots also contribute to wider environmental benefits.

“When you increase vegetation cover, you protect the soil and improve the local climate. The land becomes cooler,” Nsita explains.

Investing in the Future

One of the most valuable lessons Akena learned is that successful tree growing requires consistent management, particularly during the first few years after planting.

Farmers were trained in regular weeding, proper spacing, lining and pitting techniques, and plantation maintenance practices that improve survival and growth rates. These skills help ensure that farmers can maximize returns from their investment while reducing avoidable losses.

“Now I know how to manage the trees properly,” Akena says. “Before, I didn’t understand these things.”

For Akena, the trees growing on his land represent more than future timber and poles. They represent a new way of thinking about farming, one that combines short-term food production with long-term investment.

While the woodlot will take years to mature, he is confident that the knowledge gained through the Project will continue generating benefits long after project activities have ended.

As more farmers embrace commercial forestry, the IFPA-CD Woodlots Project is helping communities strengthen livelihoods, increase tree cover, and build resilience through sustainable land use and market-oriented tree growing.