Otuke based Okere City launches shea tree restoration project across three subregions

23 September 2026, 8:05 pm

By Baker Okello

The Okere City Shea Butter Cooperative in Otuke District has launched a major environmental restoration initiative aimed at raising and distributing more than 200,000 shea tree seedlings across the Lango, Acholi and Teso subregions.

Speaking to the media on September 22nd at Pacific Grand Hotel in Lira City, Okere City founder and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ojok Okello, said the initiative is intended to respond to the rapid decline of indigenous Shea trees amid growing global demand for Shea products.

Ojok said the project will focus on regenerating 200,000 shea trees at only Shs 2,000 while protecting their natural growth cycles and preserving their environmental and economic value.

He noted that global demand for shea products has increased significantly, rising by about 600 percent over the past decade.

Ojok said the initiative also seeks to address the long waiting period before shea trees mature and begin producing fruit.

He explained that through partnerships supporting carbon-credit prepayments, farmers will receive financial support upfront to help sustain their livelihoods while the trees mature.

According to Ojok, indigenous nilotica shea trees, whether naturally occurring or planted, can take up to 10 years to mature and reach full fruit production.

He said Okere City has already put in place the necessary infrastructure and market arrangements to ensure farmers have a reliable buyer once their trees begin producing Shea nuts.

The initiative is expected to contribute to environmental conservation while creating a long-term source of income for farming communities across the three sub-regions.

The project combines environmental restoration with economic empowerment, with the organisers hoping that expanding shea tree populations will help protect the region’s natural resources while giving farmers a sustainable source of income for future generations.