Nnabagereka urges women to conserve environment

Jun 12, 2018

Sylvia Nagginda says the Buganda cultural values forbid hunting of some particular animals and cutting down some tree species.

 PIC: Nnabagereka plants a tree at Mestil Hotel in Nsambya. (Credit: Wilson Manishimwe)

ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

KAMPALA- The Nnabagereka of Buganda Sylvia Nagginda has called for more women to participate in environmental conservation, saying this will avert the occurrence of climate change effects such as flooding, drought among others.

"Today should be a time of reflection about the type of legacy we are going to leave for the next generation in terms of natural environment. As parents and guardians, we habour hopes and dreams of what we would like our children to achieve, but we must ask ourselves what it takes to make a good world to live in," she said.

She added: "We strive to nurture our children under our care with the best environment that will allow them to be their best and this includes leaving them with a planet that is worth living on."

During the women in conservation breakfast meeting and symposium at Mestil Hotel in Nsambya, Nagginda said many people draw a natural link between women and environmental conservation because of the different activities they are involved in such as tiling the land.

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PIC: Maria Kiwanuka, Dr. Jane Goodall,Nnabagereka Sylvia Nagginda and Princess Joan Nasolo at the breakfast meeting. (Credit: Wilson Manishimwe) 


Uganda's natural environment has been deteriorating for years and many people have attributed the issue to increased human encroachment on them. For instance, the forest cover in the country has reduced to about 8% from over 24% in the 1990s. 

Recently, the Government launched the programme aimed at restoring at least 16% of the forest cover that has been lost with in the last two decades.

Nagginda said traditional societies have also a role to play in conserving the natural environment, citing an example of Buganda, where she said the founder- Kintu, assigned different clans certain roles to ensure a peaceful co-existence between humans, animals and forests.

She said the Buganda cultural values forbid hunting of some particular animals and cutting down some tree species. 

She highlighted some projects in Buganda Kingdom such as "Obuntu bulamu" and the Nnabagereka Foundation that promotes conservation.

 Nnabagereka receiving flowers from a child upon arrival


Meanwhile, during the same event, several high-profile women personalities who have contributed to society development were honored. They included the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) executive director Allen Kagina, Barbara Kaija, the Vision Group editor-in-chief, Yogi Birigwa, the chief executive officer South African Airways and Beatrice Anywar, the MP Kitgum Municipality MP among others.

Dr. Jane Goodall, the UN Ambassador of peace, philanthropist and conservationist, said it is everyone's concern to take charge of environmental conservation irrespective of their age or sex.

Goodal, who is also the founder of Jane Goodall Institute based in Virginia; United States, revealed that she was lured into conservation because of forest deterioration and decreasing numbers of chimpanzees. 

"I thought that I could come up and do something to conserve them so that the future is not compromised," she said.

 

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