Pallisa youth take lead in tree planting campaign

The youth in Pallisa have taken the initiative to launch a greening campaign in an effort to restore the environment.

The group under their network known as “Actvistas” is coordinating with the district leadership to plant one million trees throughout the entire district.

Majid Dhikusooka, Resident District Commissioner (RDC) launching the campaign.

The population of Pallisa, like those in other areas countrywide, has been relying on the natural rainfall seasons for agriculture over the years, but the consequences of climate change have made these seasons unpredictable, resulting in protracted dry spells.

While launching the tree-planting initiative at the district offices on Sunday, Ivan Adakun, the leader of the Activistas in Pallisa, stated that the district has been threatened by protracted droughts for the past three years, leading to food insecurity in the district and the entire Eastern region.

Majid Dhikusooka, Resident District Commissioner (middle) planting a tree together with youth leaders and Activitas at the Pallisa offices.

“We realised that something needed to be done to restore the environment by planting more trees. Our area is completely plain now. People have cleared trees to expand their land for agriculture, for firewood and charcoal,” he noted.

He also stressed that rice fields have been planted in the majority of the marshes.

“Without trees, we are headed for more tough times. That is why we are coming out as the youth to take the lead on this initiative. We also have a problem with water and people have to walk long distances to community boreholes because most of our natural sources like wells, and streams are drying up,” he added.

The Activista network is a global youth movement under ActionAid International (AAI) that focuses on capacity building and national campaigns on injustice.

The campaign under the slogan “Up with justice, down with anger” also aims at creating awareness among the communities on the dangers of environmental destruction, and how to demand accountability.    

The group also works towards creating a world where youth are given a platform to discuss ideas and policies that affect them positively.

The Activistas were trained by ActionAid International Uganda (AAIU) on policy and digital advocacy, and feminist transformative leadership skills, and have been able to draw the areas of concern in their communities.

“You have had your future as elders with minimal climate change, what will we have as the next generation? It is time we come together and create sustainable solutions to mitigate climate change. As Activistas, we are willing to have more similar peaceful climate change campaigns until we realise change,” he said.

Majid Dhikusooka, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Pallisa, praised the network for its considerate action as a means of protecting the environment.

He claimed that one strategy for reducing climate change is planting trees.

“We are living in critical times where a lot of similar efforts are needed to save our planet, we only have one planet and there is no planet B,” the RDC said.

The campaign is also supported by the district youth council, and the Citizen Initiative for Democracy and Development- Uganda (CIDD-U).

The RDC pledged to work with the district's natural resources department, and other stakeholders, such as the National Forest Authority (NFA), to assist the effort.

He stated that communities need to be made aware of other alternatives than cutting down trees for various reasons.