By Umar Nsubuga
For the ninth year running, Vision Group, together with the Embassy of the Netherlands, KLM Airlines, dfcu Bank and Koudijs Nutrition BV, is running the Best Farmers Competition.
The 2024 competition runs from April to November, with the awards in December. Every week, Vision Group platforms will publish profiles of the farmers. Winners will walk away with sh150m and a fully paid-for trip to the Netherlands.
He talks about his trees with passion akin to that of a newly married man. In his 60s, Posiano Besesa, approaches tree farming with the zeal of a young man.
“I regret not having started this project when I was 10 years old. People should be encouraged to embrace tree farming while young as it has many benefits,” Besesa, a tree farmer in Kasana-Kasambya village, Mubende district, says.
“When I completed school and started pit-sawing, I was the first in the community to transition from pit-sawing to saw milling in 1995,” he adds.
To make the transition, with the support from his father, he got a sh120m loan from Uganda Development Bank and bought equipment.
This was 16 years after he officially registered as a sawyer.
He recalls that his father was happy, but asked him what would happen when he depleted all the natural forests and those planted by others in the area.
That sparked the idea of planting a forest. Today, he manages thousands of hectares of forests in different districts.
Besesa has planted a total of 915 hectares of pine and eucalyptus trees in western Uganda, including 100 acres in Kabale in 1996, 142 acres in Mbarara in 1998, 250 acres in Kibaale from 1999 to 2001, and a thousand hectares in the Kasana-Kasambya Forest Reserve in Mubende district.
Besesa, who has spent over 30 years in the timber business, traces his roots to his father, the first Ugandan registered sawyer in 1942.
Humble beginnings
Besesa started the business in 1976 when he was 17 years old.
“I used to sell sweets from which I saved sh100, which I used to start trading in timber. I would buy my stock from Kabale town and bring it to Rubanda, where I was living.”
Being business-oriented, as that venture gained traction, he diversified into selling handkerchiefs.
“I also experimented with selling food while I was still in school. Saving money became a core part of my routine.” In 1997, Besesa, chief executive officer of BESEPO Uganda Limited, a company he established as a family business, says he turned to agro-forestry in the quest for a long-term investment to earn from alongside his formal job.
“I applied for land from National Forestry Authority in Mubende. I was allocated 500 acres, on which I planted pine and eucalyptus trees,” he says.
Initially, Besesa says, he went into agro-forestry partly to honour his father, but eventually, he grew to love it.
Trees are the way to go
As of this year, Besesa has managed over 1.2 million trees.
“With trees, it’s a matter of choosing the right time to sell. For example, I sell three to five-year-old eucalyptus trees to maintain the farm’s operations. I also sell discarded pine trees as firewood, but leave the bulk to mature,” he explains.
The maturity period for pine trees, Besesa says, is 25 years, although they can be harvested at 10 to 20 years. With proper care, he says, each tree can yield two to three cubic metres of timber.
Each cubic metre this year was valued at approximately sh100,000.
He adds that seedlings cost between sh500 and sh700, depending on the type of tree.
Besesa emphasises that without value addition, tree farmers earn less as a significant portion of the tree is often left to rot, leading to environmental degradation.
“In commercial forestry, we practice what is known as ‘thinning to waste.’ Even when a tree is mature, only about 30% of it is utilised with good machinery and 70% is wasted. This is why I sought ways to add value to my business.”
He diversified into briquette making that utilised the waste left after poles are extracted.
To facilitate the mass production of briquettes and to train others, Besesa partnered with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
FAO provided Besesa with a wheel crusher, dryer, briquette machine and a carboniser for briquette production.
However, he is concerned about the market for briquettes, citing ignorance. As an environmental advocate and tree farmer, he believes that promoting and adopting briquettes can significantly reduce the negative environmental, social and economic impacts associated with charcoal production.
Best agronomic practices
Tree farming demands a significant investment of time and money Besesa says.
Trees require careful attention from the seedling stage, until they mature.
“In the nursery, trees need to be watered regularly, especially during dry seasons, while guarding against over-watering. Whereas pine trees have natural self-protection mechanisms, eucalyptus trees are often vulnerable to termite attacks,” Besesa says.
Management
For the smooth operation, Besesa involved his family. His eldest son, Jean Vianney Aryatusasira, is the company’s chairperson.
His wife, Margaret Besesa, is the general manager and secretary while another son, Junior Besesa, is the transport and legal officer.
“We hold weekly meetings to review performance reports, address challenges and plan the way forward,” he explains.
As of this year, the farm employs 10 permanent workers and over 300 casual labourers. The permanent workers earn between sh400,000 and sh800,000.
Each causal labour is paid sh50,000 to sh100,000 every month depending on the workload.
Achievements
Besesa’s plantation also serves as a demonstration farm and training centre for local communities. Currently, Besesa’s nurseries contain 250,000 seedlings of pine and 10,000 seedlings of eucalyptus and other trees, which will be distributed in the next rainy season.
He earns sh50m annually from selling seedlings and pine trees.
Besesa has also constructed a borehole that provides water to an entire village that previously had no access to water.
He has managed to educate all his children, who are now graduates working in the company.
He has established a market for his products, with buyers visiting his farm every Monday.
Mistakes
Initially, Besesa underestimated the time, effort and knowledge required for agro-forestry. Without adequate research, he made planting and maintenance mistakes that slowed his early progress, tree growth and yields.
He also struggled with balancing his formal job and agro-forestry activities, realising he had to develop a more structured management plan.
Through these experiences, Besesa learned the importance of preparation, patience and specialised knowledge in agroforestry. To address these gaps, he began seeking expert advice, adjusting his approach and developing efficient routines for managing both his job and farming activities.
Community impact
Besesa’s tree farming venture has positively impacted his community by creating local jobs and promoting environmental conservation.
Through BESEPO Uganda Limited, he employs residents for planting, maintenance and harvesting, providing steady income for families.
His agro-forestry efforts have also improved local air quality and reduced soil erosion, benefiting the land and surrounding ecosystems.
Besesa’s commitment to sustainable practices serves as a model, inspiring other community members to consider tree farming as a viable, eco-friendly business.
Physical security
Besesa employs local guards to monitor the area regularly, deterring illegal activities like logging and encroachment.
He also collaborates closely with neighbouring communities by building positive relationships and raising awareness about the importance of preserving the forest.
He invests in boundary markings and occasional patrols with forestry officials, ensuring a visible presence to protect his investment.
Challenges
One major issue is the high cost of maintaining and protecting vast forest areas, including expenses for security, labour and equipment.
He also contends with threats like illegal logging and encroachment, which require constant vigilance. Fluctuating market prices for timber impact his income, making financial planning difficult.
Environmental challenges, such as drought or pests, can also affect tree growth and yield. Balancing his forestry business with other responsibilities adds to these pressures, requiring effective time management.
Returns
Besesa’s forestry investment yields significant returns, both financially and environmentally. As his pine and eucalyptus trees mature, he earns substantial income from selling timber.
These trees, once harvested, can generate steady profits over the years, providing a reliable source of income. Beyond financial returns, Besesa benefits from the ecological impact his forests have on the local environment, contributing to soil conservation, improved air quality and biodiversity.
Plans
Besesa plans to grow medicinal plants, which are becoming increasingly scarce in Uganda’s forests. One such plant he aims to cultivate is locally known as Mukuzannume.
Advice
Besesa encourages people to plant as many trees as possible, both for environmental protection and for commercial purposes.
He notes that some people are deterred by tree farming because it requires patience.
What you need to know about trees
- Trees are among the longest-living organisms on the planet and represent one of nature’s greatest resources. They help keep our air clean, reduce noise pollution, improve water quality, prevent erosion, provide food and building materials, create shade, and enhance our landscapes.
- A single tree produces approximately 120kg of oxygen annually, meaning two mature trees can supply enough oxygen to support a family of four for a year.
- One tree can absorb as much carbon in a year as a car emits while driving 26,000 miles. Over its lifetime, a single tree can absorb one tonne of carbon dioxide.
- The average life expectancy of a tree in an urban area is only eight years.
- Trees derive an estimated 90% of their nutrition from the atmosphere and only 10% from the soil.
- Trees grow from the top, not the bottom. A branch’s location on a tree will only move up the trunk by a few inches over 1,000 years.
How to grow trees
The first step is growing seedlings, which are potted. Besesa prepares the soil for potting by mixing ordinary loam soil with cow dung.
Potting involves planting tree seedlings in polythene tubing. The potted seedlings are kept in a nursery bed for two to three months. In the meantime, a farmer should prepare the land, where the seedlings will be transplanted.
Besesa advises engaging the services of an expert to find out the composition of the soil and identify which nutrients need to be included for the good growth of the trees.
When the seedlings are mature enough, they are transferred to the field, where they will grow.
Pine seedlings are transplanted when they are three months old. In the field, the seedlings are planted in straight lines, with approximately 10 metres between each tree.
For trees like pine and eucalyptus, the farmer only needs to spray for weeds.
LEAD PHOTO CAPTION: Besesa has 250,000 seedlings of pine in Kasana-Kasambya village, Mubende district. He also manages thousands of hectares of forests in different districts.
