Cross-border deforestation causing West Nile power cuts

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Albert Onzima, a licensed timber dealer in Arua city, is in his timber shop. He is running out of stock even as customers lament the rising prices. RAZIAH ATHMAN from New Vision daily podcast Around Uganda, tagged along with him from Vurra, crossed the border into DR Congo, then to Zombo district, where the effects of climate change are trickling in, owing to cross-border activities.

As Albert Onzima prepares for a trip to the DR Congo for timber; he takes into consideration the extra kilometres he needs to go deep into the forests, where it is still available.

“Some years ago, we used to get timber nearby, but now we get it from Isiro, which is very far,” the timber dealer from Arua laments.

He emphasises that they face a challenge of costly transport. But even after driving on the bumpy road to access the much sought-after mature hardwood, the sizes are smaller and more expensive compared to 10 years ago when he joined the business.

As a licensed timber dealer, Onzima must pay taxes. Finding timber from 20-metre long and 15-centimetres mid-diameter is almost impossible.

“We used to write six or 10 cubic metres, but now we write 20 to 15, which means when you get the rest of the timber, you have to sit down and calculate the expenses, and your price is supposed to be specifi c to that,” he explains.

The struggle to access timber means there are fewer trees and as the exploitation continues; the trade is earning millions of dollars worldwide.

According to the Centre for International Forestry Research, Okoume, one of the most harvested tree species in DR Congo, occupies a little less than a million hectares and the Chaillu forest is home to many of them. This dwindling pattern justifies the outcry over the depleting of trees in the Congo basin, expressed even by global body United Nations, that worries Ugandan authorities are not doing enough to mitigate trafficking of Congolese wood.

Although the National Forestry Authority denies this allegation, the rampant deforestation across the border can be felt in Zombo district, where it is taking a toll on the ecosystem and livelihoods. In West Nile, temperatures canrise higher than 43° Celsius. Along the border with DR Congo, where trees contributed to a cool weather and predictable rain patterns, farmers are in trouble.

Trees release water vapour into the atmosphere, which form clouds and then the vapour returns in the form of rain needed for crops.

Impact on Nyagak power generation

It is all sunny and calm except the roar of River Nyagak as the waters plunge to turn the turbines and generate current at Nyagak III hydropower plant. It is a small hydropower project that generates just 6.6MW of electricity to supply the eight districts in West Nile.

But like elsewhere in the world, Nyagak is also threatened by global warming. Erratic precipitation has forced engineers to work around unpredictable generation schedules.

“We have to take readings of water levels every morning so that we know what is there and plan our day. We also monitor the seasons. During wet seasons like April to May and August to November, we have a lot of water. But when it is dry, mostly February, you have to know when to run your turbines and at what capacity so that you keep the generation,” says Vincent Bwire, the plant manager at Nyagak I.

He says as a result of low water volumes, they are forced to shut down the turbines to allow the reservoirs replenish.

“At night, people do not do a lot of productive work. So, during day time, we focus on having power so that by 10:00pm or midnight, we shut down, and have some a few hours of low supply then start in the morning,” Bwire explains.

Cross-border mix effect on crops

Patrick Aneniyu, the agriculture officer of Zombo district, who is also a farmer, says there are pests that come as a result of too much sunshine such as the fall armyworm. But sometimes this region experiences very heavy rainfall, which also comes with diseases that ravage crops.

A Mahogany tree by River Nyagak in Paidha. Residents are known for cutting down natural trees for charcoal. (Photo by Razia Athman)

“The heavy rains can affect the soil and crops, as well as make the rivers and wetlands flood, causing a lot of siltation. These are all effects of climate change,” Aneniyu explains.

A mapping of hailstorms was conducted and the most affected areas lie along the borders. Climate change is also experienced individually in Zombo.

For the last 10 years, rain patterns have changed. Local authorities say the first rain season always started from late March up to June, while July is the dry period. The second rain season used to start from August up to November, but this has changed.

The United Nations defines climate change as long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns.

Banana production threatened

Like many farmers, Aneniyu has given bananas a try, but the banana bunchy top disease is threatening fruiting.

“There are a lot of economic activities that take place between the two countries and there are unrestricted movements of human beings. People are picking planting material from the other side of the country and bringing it to this side.”

DR Congo is not stable, so the Alur on the other side cross into Uganda for safety. This also means more pressure on production of food.

Martin Owor, environment officer.

“When you get a visitor, the quantity of food has to increase. That means how you provide food at home –majorly through cultivation here – is by encroaching on wetlands to increase on food production,” Martin Owor, the environment officer of Zombo district, says.

Wetlands store nitrous oxide, which is one the greenhouse gases that affect the ozone layer.

“When you cultivate wetlands, you expose nitrous oxide and if it finds its way up, it is destructive. If this happens continuously, then climate change gets worse,” Owor adds.

Deforestation in Uganda

Joyce Abiroro slopes down to her home carrying a bunch of bananas on her head.

“The way it used to rain is not the way it is raining now. Natural trees used to cover most places, but people are now planting instead. The natural trees have disappeared,” she notes.

Abiroro

Abiroro wants charcoal burning to be stopped.

“Trees like mahogany are disappearing because people are burning charcoal,” she cries out. Stella Kumu is walking alongside Abiroro and two other women.

“We should continue cultivating when the rain season starts so that we have enough food even during the long dry spell,” she opines.

Scovia Amba’s smile has little to do with the harsh effects of climate change here. The wilted vegetables in her hands will be prepared for dinner, but she says they are not enough to feed the whole family.

“We should plant early so that the crops mature faster,” she appeals.

When the women get home, they will light fire wood to cook. Some homes in the village use charcoal as fuel. It is why Annet Orombi, the forest officer of Zombo district, does not blame climate change on activities in DR Congo alone.

“We also have a lot of deforestation for biomass. There are two sub-counties where there is a lot of charcoal and trees are also being cut for timber.”

Charcoal dealing is big business here.

“There are a lot of trees that people have planted. When it comes to charcoal, they mostly use natural trees, which they are not replanting and this is affecting our climate,” Orombi says.

The district is working with development partners to encourage people to plant trees for fire wood. But people still prefer the natural trees which produce charcoal that burns longer.

“The culture in Zombo is that people plant trees for timber. And if you bring tree seedlings, they will choose the timber species, they don’t go for the fire wood species. But we are also looking at alternatives like biogas and efficient energy technologies, encouraging them to have stoves that consume less fuel,” Orombi says.

When the President issued a ban on burning charcoal in May 2023, it gave trees in northern Uganda and West Nile a breather. But dealers are back to business.

We were lucky to interact and hug an Afzelia Africana – the African mahogany tree — at the bridge in Ngiya. It is imposing as it is a gem. Its height by plain sight could be over 50 metres and diameter 110 centimetres.

In DR Congo, trees of this calibre still exist in abundance, but as dealers manoeuvre deeper into forests in search of the hardwood, the vapour trees produce for rainfall is thinning.

Tree cutting activities inside DR Congo steer conflict. International bodies are injecting millions of dollars in research to provide solutions. Uganda may be accused of enabling the lucrative timber trade, but there is only little it can do to control deforestation in the DR Congo.