Teso Launches Cashew Nut Farming to Empower Elderly

In a pioneering move to combat poverty among the elderly, the cashew nut farming project has been officially launched in the Teso sub-region. This marks the first time the crop is being introduced on a large scale in the area. 

The initiative, spearheaded by the Minister of State for the Elderly, Dominic Mafwabi Gidudu, aims to plant 10 million cashew nut seedlings across 11 districts in Teso, including Amuria, Kapelebyong, Serere, Soroti, Kumi, and Bukedea.

Gidudu said the decision followed over a decade of research, which identified cashew nuts as a highly marketable cash crop due to increasing global demand. “We zeroed in on cashew nuts because there is a ready market for them worldwide,” Gidudu noted.

Teso, a semi-arid region with similarities to parts of Kenya and Ethiopia, was found suitable for cashew cultivation. The minister said the initiative is community-driven and self-funded, with no current support from government or external donors.

“We have begun this initiative on our own. It’s purely driven by the elderly community,” he said. The project targets people aged 60 years and above, providing them with a source of income post-retirement. Gidudu said many elderly individuals are unable to find formal employment, and this venture will help them remain active and financially self-reliant.

Each acre will host 75 seedlings, which take around three years to mature. At full production, an acre can yield approximately 10 kilograms of nuts, with a potential income of over UGX 20 million. “When leaders retire, they are often left without support, leading to health complications. With this project, they can maintain their well-being and remain engaged,” Gidudu said.

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Manasseh Eyenyu Etyeku, the Teso Elderly coordinator, said the project’s crop selection was based on scientific research and land suitability. “We identified cashew nuts as the best option to empower elderly individuals economically,” he said.

He added that cashew nuts offer various by-products such as cooking oil, nut paste used in meals, and raw material for perfume production, increasing their economic potential. Already, over 10,000 seedlings have been distributed across the sub-region. While there are plans to scale the project nationwide, Teso has been prioritized due to its favorable conditions for cashew cultivation.

Rev. John Michael Ebaju, a farmer from Amuria, said he began growing cashew nuts in 2023. Despite initial challenges, he has registered progress after undergoing agricultural training. This cashew nut farming initiative is being hailed as a transformative effort to improve the livelihoods of elderly citizens in Teso, offering them a path to economic independence and improved quality of life.