Who will restore forest cover in refugees-hosting districts?

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NEED FOR TREES

Uganda ranks among the world’s largest hosts of refugees, accommodating 1,660,524 individuals as of March.

The significant influx of refugees is driven by various factors in Uganda’s neighbouring countries, notably conflict and violence in South Sudan and the DR Congo, compounded by economic crises and political instability in the region.

Despite efforts by the Government and development partners to ensure the well-being of refugees, they continue to face numerous challenges in accessing social services.

One of the largest refugee settlements in Uganda is Bidibidi in Yumbe district, housing over 198,184 refugees, predominantly from South Sudan.  

Spanning 250 square kilometres, the settlement significantly increases the population of the host communities, bringing the total to approximately one million people.

This rapid demographic growth places substantial pressure on the environment, particularly the region’s tree cover.

Every household relies on trees for essential daily needs, such as construction, cooking and farming.

Hope Mafaranga and Adam Gule visited the Bidibidi refugee settlement to assess the extent of environmental degradation and the efforts to restore the vegetation.

Yassin Arii, an elder from Yumbe district, recalled a time when the area was densely covered with diverse species of trees and grasslands before the arrival of refugees.

He noted that besides agriculture, the land was also used for hunting due to its abundance of wild animals.

Arii emphasised that the thick natural forest and grasslands significantly influenced the district’s climate, ensuring two favourable farming seasons from March to May and August to October.

“Our rainfall patterns have changed drastically. We used to have reliable seasons that made us leaders in food production,” he said.

Arii observed that the once lush green vegetation, particularly in the lower belt where Bidibidi refugee settlement is located, has disappeared.

He pointed out that one now needs to travel over 2km to find a mature natural tree in the area.

What concerns him most is the disappearance of indigenous tree species, which served multiple purposes, including climate regulation, cultural significance and medicinal use. 

“Today, it is difficult to find indigenous trees where refugees have settled; all the large and even small trees have been cut down,” Arii remarked.

Noah Achikule, another elder in the district, expressed deep concern over the significant impact of tree cover loss on the district’s climate.

He explained that trees played a critical role in safeguarding swamps and other water bodies in the area. “Rivers, such as Kochi, used to never dry up; during dry seasons, people would migrate to camp along these rivers for water for their animals and domestic needs. Today, it’s a different story,” he stated.

Achikule criticised district leaders and the Office Prime Minister for not doing enough to protect the tree cover in settlement areas.

As elders, they had requested the marking and protection of some indigenous trees to regulate rainfall and preserve their cultural heritage.

According to a 2023 report by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, in collaboration with the World Bank, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Yumbe district local government, the district lost 3,388 hectares of tree cover between 1985 and 2002.

The report highlighted significant forest degradation in Bidibidi, noting that between 2010 and 2013, about 1,916 hectares of forest were degraded, with 646 hectares completely lost.

This degradation accelerated from 2013 to 2018, resulting in an additional 12,555 hectares affected and 9,895 hectares completely lost.

Furthermore, the report revealed that 68,383 metric tonnes of biomass were lost in Bidibidi and its surrounding 5km buffer zone between 2018 and 2021.

It estimated the annual demand for firewood, within the settlement and its buffer zone, at 146,871 metric tonnes, based on 2022 UNHCR refugee population data.

The report also provided estimates for the total above-ground biomass stock within the settlement, which is approximately 735,948 metric tonnes, with an annual biomass growth rate of 121,794 metric tonnes.

The place was green

Stephen Ladu, the chairperson of Refugee Welfare Council 3 for Zone 2, reminisced about the lush greenery and dense tree cover that once characterised the settlement area upon their arrival.

He attributed the rapid deforestation to the competing needs of refugees. Ladu explained that refugees were initially allocated land without shelters, forcing many to clear vegetation to construct their homes.

“When we arrived in 2016, we were shown the land, but lacked accommodation. Despite later receiving tents, we had to cut trees for poles and space to settle,” he recalled.

Ladu noted that like everyone else, refugees required wood for cooking their main meals of beans and posho.  

“Daily cooking necessitates using wood, impacting the environment,” he emphasized. Michael Joel Nabugere, the settlement commandant for Bidibidi in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), highlighted energy demand as a key driver of environmental degradation in the settlement.  

He explained that each refugee household depended on tree cover for cooking and sustenance.  

“To prepare food daily, refugees cut down trees for firewood or charcoal,” Nabugere stated.

He underscored the need to address environmental degradation by tackling energy supply issues.

Sebit Kawawa, the natural resources officer for Yumbe district, pointed out that over 95% of the district’s population, including refugees and host communities, relied on biomass for energy.  

He proposed establishing woodlots as a viable solution to meet the energy needs of the population.

Rasul Drajiga, the senior assistant chief administrative officer for Yumbe, acknowledged the ongoing challenge of environmental management, particularly in the context of refugee settlement.

He reported that more than three trees are felled daily in the settlement and its five-kilometer buffer zone to support the area’s population.

Low production

Regarding agricultural productivity, Kawawa noted that over 85% of Yumbe’s land is arable, but prolonged droughts significantly reduce crop yields.

“Most of the district’s population relies on rain-fed agriculture, but climate change has altered rainfall patterns, leading to poor yields,” he explained.

Kawawa added that high population density and environmental pressures on wetlands and forests have contributed to unreliable rainfall, impacting soil moisture and quality.

Many permanent water bodies have become seasonal and some seasonal ones have disappeared.

He emphasised that the district’s tree cover within host communities remains critical, yet regulating deforestation on community lands poses significant challenges.

Improved technology

Joseph Okello, the livelihoods and food security team leader at  Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), mentioned that they provided technical training in climate-smart agriculture, agronomic practices, organic fertilizer use, soil management and early warning systems to refugees and the host community.

“We have engaged with stakeholders, established coordination, set up demonstration sites for learning and exchanging striga control techniques and organised learning visits for farmers to research institutions, trade shows, and model farms,” he said. 

Okello added that they have also procured irrigation kits and water for production, and established three mini-irrigation sites with drilled wells, enabling farmers to continue their activities uninterrupted during drought periods.

He mentioned that they are identifying potential suppliers of high-quality seeds and planting materials among agro-input dealers.

Remove the cost of co-funding

Abdulmutwalib Asiku, the LC5 chairperson of Yumbe, urged the Government to increase water production to support the new focus on climate-smart agriculture.

He emphasised the need to expand the micro-irrigation programme and reduce the costs farmers must contribute to government co-funding.

“The Government is asking farmers to co-fund between sh3m and sh7m for a micro-scale irrigation programme to cultivate one acre, which is too much for ordinary farmers,” he explained.

Asiku also noted that Yumbe district is already feeling the impacts of climate change.

“Yumbe used to be a food basket for the region, with two growing seasons. However, due to deforestation, we now only reliably have the August season, while the March season is unpredictable,” he said.

Options  

However, Amlan Tumusiime, the Kikuube resident district commissioner overseeing the Kyangwali refugee settlements, defended the presence of refugees in the area, asserting that they are not responsible for deforestation in the district.

He said: “I have not witnessed any refugee involved in the sale of charcoal or timber. We have apprehended individuals for illegally felling trees in the Bugoma Forest Reserve, but none of them were refugees.” Joy Kebirungi, the refugee desk officer of Hoima, mentioned that they have collaborated with the National Forestry Authority (NFA) to permit refugees to gather firewood from Bugoma Forest Reserve under supervised conditions.

“Refugees are accompanied weekly to Bugoma Forest Reserve where they collect fallen tree branches without engaging in tree cutting,” she explained.

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The firewood challenge

“It is a hustle to get firewood,” said Hellen Ropani, a resident of village 5 in zone 3, highlighting the challenge of obtaining firewood. She explained that they trek over 7km to neighbouring communities daily for cooking, as firewood is essential for their survival. “Given beans, we can’t cook without firewood. We have no choice but to gather firewood to prepare our meals,” she expressed.

Joyce Akujo, a member of the Refugee Engagement Forum and resident of Bidibidi Zone 2, noted that despite efforts by partners to introduce energy-saving stoves, refugees continue to resort to cutting trees for charcoal.

She urged the government and partners to develop better strategies for restoring lost vegetation, suggesting the distribution of fast-growing tree seedlings to refugee households for sustainable wood fuel.

Felly Christine Lamwaka, programme manager at Catholic Relief Services (CRS), said they are implementing a five-year initiative, “Regreening of the Community,” to enhance the livelihoods of refugees and host communities through climate-smart agricultural practices.

She mentioned that they are training 1,563 farmers on climate-smart agriculture and improving access to agricultural inputs, such as high-quality seeds and planting materials.

The initiative also secured 160 acres of land for block farming in zones 4 and 5 and supported 18 refugee farmer groups within the settlement.

Melsa Avako, Yumbe district’s woman member of parliament, lamented the district’s progression towards desertification over the past decade, emphasising the urgent need for environmental conservation.

She stressed, “The current challenge lies in the mindset of our communities. Few prioritize environmental conservation, yet everyone feels the impacts of climate change."

Possible solutions

To address these issues, the district has developed a forest and landscape management plan with support from FAO and UNHCR. However, Kawawa urged partners to expand the plan’s coverage beyond the settlement and its buffer zone to encompass the entire district.

Sam Businge, the programme coordinator of the Action for Strengthening Partnerships in Inclusion, Resilience, and Education (ASPIRE) project by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Uganda, funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, highlighted the disproportionate impact of erratic weather patterns and extreme events on smallholder farmers.

“These risks include droughts, floods and altered precipitation, resulting in reduced yields, crop failures and livelihood losses for smallholder farmers. Climate change exacerbates existing vulnerabilities, such as poverty, further undermining resilience in these communities,” he noted.

Businge explained that the ASPIRE project aims to enhance climate-smart food production for 11,732 smallholder farmers, including refugees and women.  

“The project will introduce resilient crop varieties and nature-based solutions for soil enrichment, pest control and affordable irrigation,” he added.

Businge underscored the vulnerability of Uganda’s West Nile sub-region to climate change impacts compounded by demographic stress from the influx of South Sudanese refugees since 2016.

“The region faces recurrent droughts, unpredictable rainfall and increased exposure of crops and land to environmental stressors, leading to reduced agricultural productivity, food scarcity and heightened poverty levels. 

Unsustainable resource management, accelerated by the refugee presence, has further degraded the land and threatened ecosystems,” he observed.

This story project was done with support from the Word Association of Newspapers and News Publishers Women in News Social Impact Reporting Initiatives Grant Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

The views expressed are not those of the sponsor.