EU should relax conditions

Mar 25, 2003

SIR — It has been reported that the European Union through the Bank of Uganda will provide $1.9m (sh3.6m) for the people in Uganda to plant trees for furniture and timber (The New Vision February 4).

SIR — It has been reported that the European Union through the Bank of Uganda will provide $1.9m (sh3.6m) for the people in Uganda to plant trees for furniture and timber (The New Vision February 4). This financial facility should be lauded as it will increase trees and wood in the country. But the condition of first raising 20 hectares of plantation needs to be relaxed to two hectares to enable many people to access the fund. The condition means one needs up to 50 acres planted up, and at a conservative cost of sh 200,0000 (approximately $100) each acre, this translates to sh10,0000,000 or $5,400! This is too high for an ordinary farmer and the fund will not help many people.
The greatest challenge for ordinary people in Uganda today is not idle land in the forest reserves nor availability of timber per se. it is the availability of wood for domestic needs ( (firewood) and capital to start a plantation even on their own plots. Therefore the EU should aim at both relaxing the conditions and enhancing the accessibility and affordabilty of capital to the majority of the people who need it.

Thembo Mujungu
Mbarara University

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