Gov’t launches a campaign to plant over 500,000,000 trees

The state minister of Water and Environment Mary Goretti Kitutu, has launched a plan to plant over 500 million trees to curb the rising temperatures and advancing desert conditions in the country.

She said through the National Environment Act of 2019, the ministry will also declare certain areas protected from encroachment to conserve the environment.

Last week, the ministry for Water and Environment released its report for the financial year 2018/19 and much emphasis was put on developing strategies to curb the effect of climate change.

“For the first time in Uganda, this year we are experiencing a heatwave and I am warning all Ugandans, these are signs that we are now heading towards the threat of advancing desert,” she said.

She said one of the main strategies to curb the threat is the campaign to plant millions of trees with particular emphasis on Bamboo trees.

“At least by next year April, we should have planted 500 million trees. Where do we plant? River banks, lake shores, all mountains or hills even the hills in Kampala,” she said.

She noted Bamboo trees are fast growing and mature within two years.

“I saw furniture in China from Bamboo. So in the next three years we should not be cutting trees to make charcoal but we should be getting charcoal from Bamboo and this will be from licensed Bamboo tree growers,” she said.

She said the ministry will also apply the new National Environment Act to preserve wetlands and forests.

She called upon Ugandans who have a lot of land to start planting these Bamboo trees noting that the ministry is ready to protect them.

"I am asking all Ugandans who have a lot off land, plant these trees and we can come and declare your area protected and make it tourism site. You can earn more money,” she said.

The climatic changes have caused water shortage in different areas.

However president Museveni had given a directive to the ministry of Water and Environment to ensure that there is a water source per village unfortunately this has not yet been achieved.