BY JOACKIM KULE
Conservation and Demand Agency (CODEA) with funding from Livelihoods Fund has today launched a project of planting 3.1 million indigenous trees both in Kasese and Ntoroko districts with an aim of transforming smallholder farmers’ livelihoods in their respective communities.
CODEA is an indigenous nongovernmental organization that operates in the Rwenzori sub region with an objective of conserving nature, promoting socio-economic empowerment and livelihoods, community health, institutional capacity strengthening and climate change.
The said tree planting project codenamed “Rwenzori Yethu Project (YRP) will be implemented in 25 sub-counties and town councils in Kasese and 03 in Ntoroko district, is meant to benefit between 11,000 -11,500 smallholder farmers operating from the 5,000 hectares of land.
Mr. Lazarus Bwambale, the Project Manager for the Rwenzori Yethu Project told the different stakeholders during an inception meeting that was held today at Rwenzori International Hotel in Kasese town that the project would last for 20 years.
Catherine Mbambu, the Kasese District Principal Assistant Secretary who represented the Chief Administrative Officer at the meeting, commended the government’s partnership with nongovernmental agencies in supplementing the efforts of the Ministry of Water and Environment towards protecting the water catchment areas especially on a number of rivers including Nyamwamba, Sebwe and Nyamughasana among others.
She revealed that the vegetation cover in Kasese stands at 2% hence making it prone to experiencing disasters and hot temperatures.
The Kasese District Vice Chairperson, Mr. Ham Natuhwera who also doubles as the Secretary for Production and Marketing implored the implementing partners to monitor the yet to be planted trees for the sustainability of the project.
The Kasese Resident District Commissioner, Lt. Joe Walusimbi encouraged the project implementers to involve the cultural institutions and the local leaders in carrying sensitization campaigns about the project.
ENDS