Cooperative fraternity urged on tree planting

State minister for Cooperatives, Frederick Gume, has called upon members of the cooperative movement to participate in planting trees so as to contribute to environmental protection and mitigation against climate change.

Gume made the call while launching the nationwide annual tree planting drive at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (MTIC) at Farmers House in Kampala ahead of the 94^th UN International Day of Cooperatives celebrations that took place on Saturday in Nakaseke District.

The drive is aimed at encouraging investment in tree planting as a sustainable investment option. Gume planted a cooperative tree at Farmers House.

Gume said cooperators must set the example of planting trees because trees not only mitigate the environment but they are also a source of revenue to many Ugandans.

The nationwide annual tree planting drive that was one of the events that have featured during the National Cooperatives Week that was launched by Government to create more awareness of the significance the co-operative movement has played in the development of Uganda, was also aimed at emphasizing to Ugandan co-operatives the responsibility in collectively creating wealth through sustainable economic practices like tree planting.

Throughout this year, MTIC working with members of the cooperative movement, Civil Society Organisations, Religious and Cultural Institutions and all government agencies will be planting trees with the aim of having 10 million trees planted by members of the co-operative fraternity around Uganda by next year.

In conjunction with National Forestry Authority (NFA) and Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), tree seedlings of coffee, fruits, timber, ornamental and medicinal trees have been distributed across the country in support of the 2016 Co-operative theme "the power to act for a sustainable future".

At the end of the year, the winning co-operative will receive a prize in support of their great efforts towards conservation. The cooperative societies that will emerge victorious by planting more trees will win a trip to Nairobi, Kenya as an exposure, sponsored by Uhuru Institute for Social Development.

Uganda has seen vast deforestation and degrading of ecosystems from the cutting of trees for firewood and expansion of land, which has affected climate change, food sustainability because lands are more vulnerable to storms, air quality and the economy.

Although, 10 million trees will not undo the damage already done, they will promote a brighter future and set the tone for Uganda's goals to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations.

Trees help produce clean air decreasing the levels of pollution caused by cars and coal, they decrease land erosion and the impact of storms, provide shelter for wildlife; provide income generating food and even medicine. Trees are more than an environmental element, they are an investment.