UGANDA: BRITISH GOVERNMENT DISCOURAGED ACHOLI SUB-REGION AS AN PRODUCTIVE COCOA AND COFFEE LUCRATIVE ZONES, AND YET NOT.

Northern Uganda in 50 years would be heaven in Cocoa glowering market due to new found research experts revealed.

GULU CITY-MONDAY NOVEMBER 17,205

By Okumu Livingstone Langol, Our Correspondent

Labworo-omor village, Bobi Sub County is 20 kilometers North of Gulu City South of Sarah African, is now hub of Cocoa grower, Wilfred Obali Jwee, a professional Accountant with ACCA/CPA Uganda turned Cocoa and Coffee investor.

Our Correspondent caught up with Wilfred Obali Jwee in his Cocoa farm, and had a one-on-one interview. Ask him, how does he begin to have a dream to become Cocoa and Coffee grower, what is your take?

Mr. Wilfred Obali Jwee, his takes, it was during the lockdown of COVID-19 when those are growing Coffee and Cocoa, I learned from them that Northern Uganda is very lucrative in production of Coffee and Cocoa, and I started clearing my farm land to open land to grow them.

In the year 2021, I met Jenifer Koch, the wife of Lt. Col. Koch during the burial of one of our relatives in Koch Ongako Sub County, Omoro District. I got to know the expert in the Lango Sub Region, Peter Okullu, who gave us in-depth knowledge on Coffee and Cocoa production.

Peter Okullu, Cocoa expert he gives us the background how Cocoa be grown, I started digging holes where they give us how spacing

will be 3 by 3 meters in each one acre of Cocoa farming, they told us that Cocoa required shelter shad for Cassava and Bananas plantation as a shad. If you are using Cassava as inter cropping, it will also be 3 by 3 meters which will be planted within 3 by 3, you can put two-line of Cassava rang in.

In that very year 2020 first, I started with one and half acre of Cocoa in the first season, and in the second season. In the year 2021 I planted another one-acre of Cocoa, in 2023 I planted one acre of Cocoa, in the year 2024 planted one acre of Cocoa, in 2025 planted two acres of Cocoa. And in the year 2025 this Cocoa seedling helped me to backfill those seeds which dried up.

Former Accountant, Finance Manager expert now reaping millions of moneys in Cocoa sales.

Last year in 2024, I started reaping from the sales of Cocoa, I started harvesting the just lot, the yield is not bad that must, but it gives me good hope, I sold 5 pods of fresh Cocoa, that one sold, I can say gave me about UGX 800,000.

After selling that, I realized that the buyer seated me, that I was seated. I have to ferment mine and dry it. When I sold it, it gave me 38 kilograms, and I sold it for UGX 980,000, at the end I got UGX 1.7 million.

But, these two I can hasten to sell it as raw material, I am now trying to ferment it. As must those who want to buy seedlings. I sold 8 pods each at UGX 3,000.

Mr. Wilfred Obali Jwee, are you the only first Cocoa grower in Acholi Sub Region?

Mr. Wilfred Obali Jwee, No not. Those Cocoa growers who started, they were silent, the like of Lt. Col. Koch and his wife, Lt. Gen. Charles Otema Awany, the former Nwoya Woman MP, Hon. Lilly Adong and others including the former Amuru District Production Officer

By next year 2026, mine I have five closes. Next year, I will be having five. But those farmers who have visited my Cocoa farm at Labworo Omor village Bobi Sub County, Omoro District, are asking for Cocoa seedlings, and I am very optimistic that they will come to buy Cocoa seedlings.

By next year 2026, Acholi Sub Region will be having more than 100 Cocoas farmers.

Beside Cocoa farming, I also have two acres of Coffee, yes, those two acres of Coffee and Bananas plantation are perennial crops, Coffee I expect to leave it for two acres, for Cocoa I need 10 acres. I am encouraging other people to grow because Acholi Sub Region does not need fertilizers.,

“Those who have visited my farms, they are now happy, they are the one who are agreeing that Cocoa can grow in Northern Uganda, because you don’t need fertilizer.

Francis Okodel, is one of the Cocoa farmers in wester Uganda, Okodel bought four acres of Cocoa in Bunzibuzu 10 years ago.

Mr. Okodel narrative is a mixed feeling, he observed that although he bought Cocoa farms years back, but because he has been working in Northern Uganda, he delegated Local Councilor 1 of the area t take care of Cocoa farm, every year he has been getting UGX 10 million, but would he be near the farm. His income would have been much more.

“Currently, I have tended my Cocoa trees, because they have grown taller than the usual Cocoa farm,” Francis Okodel narrated.

Wilfred Obali Jwee, is Professional Accountant with ACCA/CPA Uganda, worked with St. Mary Hospital Lacor for 8 years as Chief Accountant, worked for people living with HIV/AIDS Uganda at NAPHOU as their Finance Manager, worked with Inter Speed Logistic Ltd. as their Financial Manager, then worked with Private sector Foundation for Northern Uganda UDS as Project Accountant for five years