Nsabimaana profits from coffee, dairy, macadamia and goats

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For the tenth year running, Vision Group, together with the Embassy of the Netherlands, KLM Airlines, dfcu Bank and Koudijs Animal Nutrition, is running the Best Farmers Competition.

The 2025 competition runs from April to November, with the awards in December. Every week, Vision Group platforms are publishing profi les of the farmers. Winners will walk away with sh150m and a fully paid-for trip to the Netherlands.

The land rolls gently through Kabende village in Kabarole district, dotted with coffee trees, plantain plantations and a eucalyptus lot.

At first glance, it is a typical rural landscape; but the rhythm of activity tells a different story.

Terezia Nsabimaana has turned this 240-acre parcel into one of western Uganda’s most admired agricultural enterprises.

Widowed in 2017, Nsabimaana did not slow down. She expanded her Evergreen Farm mentored others and is recognised as a leading plantain farmer. The other enterprises on her farm include dairy, macadamia nuts, cocoa andnbiogas.

Background

Nsabimaana’s journey began in 1979 when she and her husband moved to Kijura village in Kabarole district to work at a tea company.

Although the pay was modest, the couple saved diligently, driven by a dream to own land. By 1985, they had purchased 210 acres in Kabende and began growing tea.

In 2010, Nsabimaana left formal employment to focus on farming. Starting with just two cows and one acre of land, she diligently reinvested every shilling earned to gradually expand her farming enterprise.

By the time her husband passed away, they were among the region’s top tea growers. In 2020, she phased out tea and diversified into coffee, dairy, maize and tree farming.

Dairy farming

“My husband and I began rearing cows in the late 2010, although I cannot recall the exact amount of money we started with.”

Today, her dairy enterprise has 56 cows, mostly friesian crossbreeds, with 20 milking daily.

“Dairy is my most consistent revenue stream,” she says.

 

Nsabimaana has more than 50 acres of coffee.

The cows are kept in clean paddocks, fed Napier grass, silage and supplements and receive routine veterinary care. She monitors livestock’s health using rectal temperature checks and visual cues.

Sick cows are isolated and treatment documented. Milking follows strict hygiene standards and milk is stored at proper temperatures.

She maintains detailed records on herd health and milk production. Sales average sh504,000 daily, with net earnings of about sh250,000 after deducting expenses. She uses rotational grazing and stores silage underground for dry seasons.

A spray race is used to treat animals for ticks and parasites.

Plantains: a steady market crop

Plantain farming has become a reliable source of income for Nsabimaana. Plantains are spaced at 10ft x 10ft with 400–450 suckers per acre.

Mulching, composting and soil testing help maintain quality. She harvests 30 bunches every two weeks. She sells to high-end supermarkets in Kampala, earning sh50,000–sh60,000 per bunch. To ensure optimal plantain growth, she employs a number of practices.

She ensures her soils have balanced pH levels and are well-drained as stagnant water can lead to fungal infections. She also enriches the soil with organic compost and also applies organic pesticides.

She advises regular soil testing to guide on the fertilisers to apply. Mulching is another method she uses to retain moisture and suppress weeds.

She explains that although plantains are more pest-resistant than other banana types, they are still prone to diseases, which can lower yields if not controlled or prevented.

For sustainable commercial production, Nsabimaana keeps track of all input costs. She spends approximately sh250,000 per acre on maintenance activities like pruning and harvesting, on organic fertilisers and pest control.

Labour costs are estimated at sh100,000 per acre. Accurate record-keeping is key to Nsabimaana’ssuccess.

She monitors her expenditures while adopting cost-saving measures, such as making her own compost.

Her harvest is an average of 30 bunches every two weeks.

“Tracking expenses helps you know your break-even point and where you can cut costs without compromising quality,” she says.

Keeping goats

In 2017, Nsabimaana with sh500,000 she purchased give goats kicking off that enterprise. Reared under a semi-intensive system, she has over 120 goats of both local and exotic breeds, targeting festive seasons.

She sells to local buyers and meat traders, earning sh300,000–sh700,000 per goat.

Growing coffee

Coffee is her primary cash crop, grown on 50 acres. She cultivates high-yielding, disease-resistant varieties and works with agronomists. Mulching, pruning and fertilisation help manage dry spells and pests.

She hires a skilled youth to oversee the coffee section.

“Coffee is a long-term investment. If managed well, it can last a lifetime,” she says.

With over 400 trees per acre, each yielding 1.3kg, she earns over sh40m per season after expenses.

Other enterprises

Nsabimaana has dedicated 25 acres to macadamia nuts.

She sources seedlings from Kyenjojo district and explains that macadamia is a long-term investment that begins to yield significantly after six to seven years, with a mature tree producing 100kg to 170kg of nuts annually.

She plants the macadamia trees seven metres apart and prunes early to encourage branching, which influence nut production.

“Once the plant is one-metre high, we cut off the head to encourage branching,” she explains.

She is expecting her first major harvest this year. With global demand rising, she sees macadamia as a future export winner.

She also keeps 100 beehives in a custom-built structure where she harvests honey for sale.

She adds that bees boost pollination for her coffee, cocoa, and macadamia trees.

On six acres, she grows Irish potatoes using organic manure from her biogas system and rotates with maize to preserve soil health.

Cocoa is cultivated on 10 acres, with plans to process beans for high returns. Her eucalyptus plantation spans over 30 acres, supplying timber, poles and firewood.

Each tree fetches sh130,000–sh170,000. She grows matooke on five acres, mainly for feeding workers, and sells surplus bunches at sh10,000–sh15,000.

To support her livestock, she grows four acres of Napiergrass and over 30 acres of maize for silage, which is chopped and fermented under tarpaulins for year-round feed.

Biosecurity

Nsabimaana maintains strict bio-security measures, including controlled animal movement, regular disinfection, proper waste management and restricted access to livestock areas to prevent disease outbreaks and protect animal health.

Challenges

Nsabimaana faces challenges such as animal diseases, theft, unreliable markets and lack of irrigation equipment, despite proximity to River Sogayi.

Labour turnover also disrupts operations. Still, she remains focused. She plans to acquire a tractor and another lorry and hopes to establish a farm training and tourism centre.

Mistakes

She admits her early mistakes included poor record-keeping and trusting unverified buyers. From these experiences, she learned to document transactions carefully and prioritize reliable markets for consistent growth.

Impact

Beyond farming, Nsabimaana is a mentor.

She hosts students, officials and fellow farmers eager to learn.

“If my neighbour has a good cow, it helps us all,” she says. Her efforts have earned her local recognition and a national award nomination.

“She’s a true role model,” says Dr Philipo Kyomukama. Her son Michael adds, “She’s inspired me to value agriculture and our family’s legacy.”

She says she doesn’t keep an exact count, but estimates having mentored and trained over 300 people over the years, helping many start and sustain successful farming ventures.

Best practices

She practices sustainable farming by using animal waste as organic manure, rotating crops to maintain soil fertility, and planting trees to prevent erosion.

She also conserves water through efficient irrigation and promotes environmental awareness among fellow farmers.

She explains that she uses a smartphone for mobile banking, digital record-keeping, and accessing farming tips, though mechanised tools remain limited.