Rotary to plant 500,000 trees

PIC: Prof. Augustus Nuwagaba

TREE PLANTING

The Rotary Club of Muyenga in partnership with the agriculture ministry has started a campaign that will see the planting of 500,000 trees across the country.

The campaign dubbed Mission Green Project  was launched on Saturday at the National Farmers' Leadership Centre (NFLC) in Kampiringisa, Mpigi district, where 4000 trees were planted. The campaign runs up to 2022.

Prof. Augustus Nuwagaba, the RCM Mission Green Project co-ordinator, said they started NFLC because of its experience in changing people's mindsets regarding the importance of trees.

He said they were working to plant 100,000 trees every year for the next five years.

RCM president Stephen Mubiru said Mission Green Project is the biggest project they have ever taken on.

Uganda has witnessed prolonged drought attributed to climate change caused by, among other factors, cutting of trees. The droughts are leading to migration and food insecurity.

According to the National Forest Authority, Uganda loses about 90,000 hectares of forest cover annually.