KASESE DISTRICT, Uganda — In western Uganda’s Kasese district, where the Rwenzori Mountains meet the sprawling plains of Queen Elizabeth National Park, Janet Nyakairu Abwoli is on a mission to rejuvenate her land and empower her community. Farmers here long enjoyed fertile soil and predictable weather, but over the past 20 years, rainfall has become […]

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/20740038

“The temperatures, seasons, and patterns of rainfall and drought have all shifted noticeably. In the past 10 to 20 years, we have seen prolonged droughts and intense, shorter rainfalls that are insufficient for crop yield and production.”

In response to this new situation, the Ugandan government and civil society organizations have promoted planting trees as a solution. They are encouraging people in Kasese district to plant native species, which are more resistant to pests and diseases and offer ecological and socio-economic benefits.

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  • Jim East@slrpnk.netOPEnglish
    0·
    13 days ago

    “I tried planting, but the goats ate everything,” says Maria Kanyere, a widow raising three children. “I don’t have time to fence them off.”

    Domesticated animals are the bane of reforestation projects worldwide. Simply planting trees is not enough; there needs to be an ethical shift among the population of the area in order to ensure long-term success of both the reforestation project itself and efforts to mitigate climate change and food insecurity.