What farmers say: Please save our Mabira

Aug 16, 2011

EDITOR — President Yoweri Museveni has a point in directing that more land should be given to sugar-manufacturing companies as a long-term solution to the sugar scarcity we are currently facing.

Editor — President Yoweri Museveni has a point in directing that more land should be given to sugar-manufacturing companies as a long-term solution to the sugar scarcity we are currently facing.

But Mabira forest is far too important to just be destroyed in the name of sugar and industrialisation. Yes, Uganda must industrialise, but not at the expense of its green cover.

The forest plays an important role as a water catchment area because it is located between two lakes — Victoria and Kyoga and two rivers — the Nile and Ssezibwa.

The forest stores carbon worth $315m (sh882b) per year. How much do we get from taxes on sugar? The forest also contributes to the heavy rains that are experienced in the surrounding areas throughout the year.

Farmers around Mabira forest say when it was encroached upon during the 1970s and 1980s, the amount of rainfall in the area greatly declined, but when they were evicted in 1989, there was a significant increase in the amount of rainfall in the area. In light of these facts therefore, please President Museveni, save our Mabira forest. Find another place to give to the Sugar factories.
Carol Atwine

Write to Harvest Money P.O. Box 9815, Kampala. Tel:0700-984963.
e-mail: harvestingmoney@newvision.co.ug

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