Massive deforestation fuelling drought, famine in Kibaale
Jul 19, 2009
IT is just 8:00am and the sun is blazing in this remote Mpeefu sub-county, Kibaale district; but this is not the reason Grace Nyakato, a mother of five, is not going to her garden today. It is because the weary 49-year-old is not sure she will get any har
By Francis Kagolo
IT is just 8:00am and the sun is blazing in this remote Mpeefu sub-county, Kibaale district; but this is not the reason Grace Nyakato, a mother of five, is not going to her garden today. It is because the weary 49-year-old is not sure she will get any harvest from her maize garden.
“We have not received rainfall for almost a year,†she says. We planted crops in September last year, but the rain season did not last a month. All the crops dried up.â€
District leaders say thousands of area residents are languishing in famine, following a long dry spell.
The district environment officer, Animate Kashemire Kyaligonza, says Mpeefu has not received ‘good’ rainfall for three years, which has led to famine.
George Namyaka, the district chairman, says the poor weather conditions have forced hundreds of people to migrate to other sub- counties and neighbouring districts. Thousands of animals, he says, have also died due to lack of water and pasture.
Kibaale used to receive two rain seasons a year, like other areas in western and central Uganda.
But the drought that hit the district in the last one-and-half years has made it perilous to farming. Environmentalists and local leaders partly attribute the problem to the excessive deforestation.
Patrick Kakeeto, the National Forestry Authority (NFA) sector manager in charge of Kibaale district, says excessive deforestation has worsened the weather conditions and led to severe soil erosion that is affecting agricultural productivity.
Apparently, Kibaale has the highest encroachment on forest reserves countrywide. Between 1990 and 2005, the district lost over 60,000 hectares of forests, according to NFA.
Formerly, Kibaale was dotted with several thick natural forests that harboured large species of primates and birds.
Kigoma forest, for instance, had Colobus Monkeys, while Kirisa, Irobe and Nyanseke/Nyamiti forests had chimpanzees and baboons. The forests had a great potential to earn the district revenue through tourism.
The high deforestation rate has steadily increased since 2005. Most of the land formerly covered by rainforests is now bare. More frustrating, though, is the fact that the encroachers have not spared national forest reserves.
For instance, Guramwa National Forest Reserve, which originally covered 1,546 hectares, has been depleted to shocking levels.
Kakeeto says: “Only 20% of the forest remains yet more trees are being cleared for farming and settlement.â€
Besides being the highest deforested district, Kyaligonza says, Kibaale also has the highest deforestation rate.
“Kibaale’s forest cover has reduced by half, from 46% of the total land area in 1990 to less than 23% today.
Deforestation is also causing floods in the district, following the cutting down of trees along River Muzizi (flowing from Mubende hills into Lake Albert).
The river flooded from November last year to January 2009, destroying crops and displacing people.
District officials also decry the failure by the encroachers to adopt soil conservation measures, which led to excessive soil erosion, hence low crop yields.
Andrew Kuteesa, the population officer, says last year, 38% of the children in the district were stunted due to malnourishment.
Deforestation has also forced wild animals and birds to migrate to other areas, reverting the district’s historical natural beauty and tourism potential.
“Baboons, chimpanzees and elephants that would have boosted eco-tourism in the district have started running away from Kagombe Forest Reserve due to encroachment,†Kakeeto says.
President’s order blamed
As residents clear forest for farming and settlement, district officials attribute the disastrous trend to President Yoweri Museveni’s February 2006 executive order. They say he halted the eviction of 400 encroachers from Guramwa Forest Reserve.
“By the time NFA realised the gravity of the problem, they had cleared about half of the forest reserve. When we tried to evict them, the President halted the process.
“Today, whenever we try to evict encroachers, we are referred to the executive order. Residents have continued to cut down forests with impunity,†Kakeeto says.
High population
Deforestation is also blamed on the high population growth in the district. Kibaale is reportedly the leading rural district with a high rate of population influx.
Since 1972 when the then Government relocated thousands of people from the highly-populated areas of Kigezi (Kabale and Bushenyi) and resettled them in Kibaale, the district has been attracting hundreds of people (especially relatives of the former) every year.
Today, the district population is said to be doubling after every 10 years, growing at 5.4% compared to the national rate of 3.2%.
Illegal pit-sawing
Pit-sawing has also become one of the main economic activities in the district. About 20 lorries of timber leave the district for Kampala everyday.
Mugenyi says although they are concerned about the practice, they are let down by the leadership. “Rich businessmen connive with some officials who give them licences to cut trees.
“The top leaders tell us the district earns a lot of money from pit-sawing,†he says.
However, as the likes of Mugenyi advocate for the protection of forests, Namyaka is proud that the district earns a lot of revenue from timber.
“We earn about sh100b from timber every year,†he says.
To curb the problem, environmentalists have embarked on massive tree planting and sensitisation of the residents. Illegal pit-sawers are also arrested and their timber impounded and auctioned.
However, Kyaligonza says, inadequate funding is limiting their efforts.
To stop deforestation, Kibaale foresters urge President Museveni to lift the executive order so they can evict encroachers. Otherwise, they warn of severe climatic effects.
IT is just 8:00am and the sun is blazing in this remote Mpeefu sub-county, Kibaale district; but this is not the reason Grace Nyakato, a mother of five, is not going to her garden today. It is because the weary 49-year-old is not sure she will get any harvest from her maize garden.
“We have not received rainfall for almost a year,†she says. We planted crops in September last year, but the rain season did not last a month. All the crops dried up.â€
District leaders say thousands of area residents are languishing in famine, following a long dry spell.
The district environment officer, Animate Kashemire Kyaligonza, says Mpeefu has not received ‘good’ rainfall for three years, which has led to famine.
George Namyaka, the district chairman, says the poor weather conditions have forced hundreds of people to migrate to other sub- counties and neighbouring districts. Thousands of animals, he says, have also died due to lack of water and pasture.
Kibaale used to receive two rain seasons a year, like other areas in western and central Uganda.
But the drought that hit the district in the last one-and-half years has made it perilous to farming. Environmentalists and local leaders partly attribute the problem to the excessive deforestation.
Patrick Kakeeto, the National Forestry Authority (NFA) sector manager in charge of Kibaale district, says excessive deforestation has worsened the weather conditions and led to severe soil erosion that is affecting agricultural productivity.
Apparently, Kibaale has the highest encroachment on forest reserves countrywide. Between 1990 and 2005, the district lost over 60,000 hectares of forests, according to NFA.
Formerly, Kibaale was dotted with several thick natural forests that harboured large species of primates and birds.
Kigoma forest, for instance, had Colobus Monkeys, while Kirisa, Irobe and Nyanseke/Nyamiti forests had chimpanzees and baboons. The forests had a great potential to earn the district revenue through tourism.
The high deforestation rate has steadily increased since 2005. Most of the land formerly covered by rainforests is now bare. More frustrating, though, is the fact that the encroachers have not spared national forest reserves.
For instance, Guramwa National Forest Reserve, which originally covered 1,546 hectares, has been depleted to shocking levels.
Kakeeto says: “Only 20% of the forest remains yet more trees are being cleared for farming and settlement.â€
Besides being the highest deforested district, Kyaligonza says, Kibaale also has the highest deforestation rate.
“Kibaale’s forest cover has reduced by half, from 46% of the total land area in 1990 to less than 23% today.
Deforestation is also causing floods in the district, following the cutting down of trees along River Muzizi (flowing from Mubende hills into Lake Albert).
The river flooded from November last year to January 2009, destroying crops and displacing people.
District officials also decry the failure by the encroachers to adopt soil conservation measures, which led to excessive soil erosion, hence low crop yields.
Andrew Kuteesa, the population officer, says last year, 38% of the children in the district were stunted due to malnourishment.
Deforestation has also forced wild animals and birds to migrate to other areas, reverting the district’s historical natural beauty and tourism potential.
“Baboons, chimpanzees and elephants that would have boosted eco-tourism in the district have started running away from Kagombe Forest Reserve due to encroachment,†Kakeeto says.
President’s order blamed
As residents clear forest for farming and settlement, district officials attribute the disastrous trend to President Yoweri Museveni’s February 2006 executive order. They say he halted the eviction of 400 encroachers from Guramwa Forest Reserve.
“By the time NFA realised the gravity of the problem, they had cleared about half of the forest reserve. When we tried to evict them, the President halted the process.
“Today, whenever we try to evict encroachers, we are referred to the executive order. Residents have continued to cut down forests with impunity,†Kakeeto says.
High population
Deforestation is also blamed on the high population growth in the district. Kibaale is reportedly the leading rural district with a high rate of population influx.
Since 1972 when the then Government relocated thousands of people from the highly-populated areas of Kigezi (Kabale and Bushenyi) and resettled them in Kibaale, the district has been attracting hundreds of people (especially relatives of the former) every year.
Today, the district population is said to be doubling after every 10 years, growing at 5.4% compared to the national rate of 3.2%.
Illegal pit-sawing
Pit-sawing has also become one of the main economic activities in the district. About 20 lorries of timber leave the district for Kampala everyday.
Mugenyi says although they are concerned about the practice, they are let down by the leadership. “Rich businessmen connive with some officials who give them licences to cut trees.
“The top leaders tell us the district earns a lot of money from pit-sawing,†he says.
However, as the likes of Mugenyi advocate for the protection of forests, Namyaka is proud that the district earns a lot of revenue from timber.
“We earn about sh100b from timber every year,†he says.
To curb the problem, environmentalists have embarked on massive tree planting and sensitisation of the residents. Illegal pit-sawers are also arrested and their timber impounded and auctioned.
However, Kyaligonza says, inadequate funding is limiting their efforts.
To stop deforestation, Kibaale foresters urge President Museveni to lift the executive order so they can evict encroachers. Otherwise, they warn of severe climatic effects.