Uganda: Building resilience against drought and desertification

Jun 19, 2020

Uganda’s dry lands occupy the cattle corridor where drought conditions are prevalent. The areas, mainly rangelands cover 84,000sq.km of Uganda’s total land across the north and eastern parts.

By Jacqueline Samalie Nalukwago

Every June 17, the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is observed. The day is commemorated in recognition of the milestones made by countries on sustainable land management. The United Nations observance day will this year be held under the theme, Food, Feed, Fibre, with the aim of educating individuals on how to reduce their personal impact on earth.

Population growth has grave effects on the planet through increased demand for food and fibre for clothing which cause land degradation and contribute to climate change. For example 8% of global emissions are from clothing and footwear production. The unsustainable demand for food, clothing and animal feeds reduces land productivity through activities which can cause drought and desertification if not hampered.

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) defines desertification as land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities. Drought is the natural occurring phenomenon existing when precipitation has been below normal recorded levels, causing serious hydrological imbalances that affect land resource production systems.

Today, dry areas represent 41% of earth's land surface and are home to over two billion people. Of this, Africa occupies the greater proportion at 66%. Uganda's dry lands occupy the cattle corridor where drought conditions are prevalent. The areas, mainly rangelands cover 84,000sq.km of Uganda's total land across the north and eastern parts.  This area can expand further if swift action isn't taken.

Uganda is among the countries facing desertification threats. The main factors contributing to desertification include drought, deforestation, bush burning, poor farming methods. Overgrazing is a serious problem and areas affected are pastoral counties of Nyabushozi, Nakasongola etc.

At the beginning of the 20th Century, forests made up 45% of the country's surface area. Due to deforestation, this percentage has drastically fallen. Drought, mainly in the Karamoja region,left over 800 animals dead by May 2019.

Soil erosion, the leading contributor to land degradation, is occurring at an alarming rate through rill and sheet erosion thus leading to gradual soil productivity loss in many districts.

The resulting effects of these activities can lead to desertification. Continual land degradation therefore impends Uganda's development efforts through low crop yields which garners poverty since affected persons resort to negative coping strategies like selling livestock and keeping children out of school.

Government efforts and other stakeholders at the forefront of curbing desertification and drought are applaudable. In July 2016, the Government launched the Disaster Risk Finance mechanism which has seen over 40,000 Karimojong households receive support funds during drought. A satellite index was also designed to detect drought at its earliest. These and other measures have been undertaken to combat damage.

However, more concerted efforts need to be directed towards curbing activities causing disaster. As stated by Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of UNCCD, "We all need to make better choices about what we eat and wear to help protect and restore land."

More programmes geared towards combating soil degradation, drought mitigation must be devised bearing in mind that the increasing population pressure exacerbates these factors.

Our life styles should change if we are to protect our land. Wasteful disposal of food and clothing, production of goods that degrade land should be addressed.

According to the 2016/2017 Uganda National Household Survey, 80% of Uganda's rural households use firewood for cooking which explains the country's rapid loss of forest cover.

Every activity degrading land can be stopped if we commit ourselves.  Approaches should be locally based and action plans should be bottom up. The local community leadership should be at the center stage, putting in place by-laws to ensure re-vegetation of degraded land.

Scientific, political and citizen mobilisation is highly required for significant results.
 
There's a big connection between sustainable land management and development and I urge fellow Ugandans to take full responsibility of protecting land. Power is in us!

Nalukwago is an environmentalist and lecturer

 

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