The Acholi Paramount Chief, Rwot David Onen Acana II, has raised concerns that escalating land conflicts in the formerly war-affected sub-region are undermining efforts to restore its degraded forest cover.
Earlier this month, the Acholi Cultural Institution partnered with the Uganda National Oil Company (Unoc) to plant 40 million trees across the region, aiming to replace those lost to commercial timber and charcoal activities.
However, Rwot Acana warns that the initiative is at risk due to ongoing land disputes. He attributed the tensions to post-war trauma, land fragmentation, and unresolved ownership issues following the decades-long Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency.
‘All 57 chiefdoms will receive free tree seedlings to help replenish our forests,’ he said.
Rwot Acana added: ‘But for years, people have cut down trees for timber and charcoal without replanting. Now the land is bare, and restoring it won’t be easy.’ He emphasised that land disputes, particularly those stemming from communal ownership, remain a major barrier. ‘Only about four percent of men are willing to share land with their wives,’ he noted.
‘This poses a challenge for women who want to plant trees but lack control over land use.’
He also cited reluctance from clan leaders to allow communal land to be used for agroforestry, especially by women and youth.
‘The communal land tenure system makes it difficult for younger generations to engage in tree planting, often leading to more conflict,’ he said.
Mr Michael Tebere, director of Kijani Agroforestry, said the mindset of clan elders can be shifted through sensitisation. ‘Trees provide food and income. Within five years, fruit trees can begin generating income for families and help fight poverty,’ said Mr Tebere.
‘Once elders see these benefits, they may be more willing to support agroforestry.’
According to local authorities, over 100,000 hectares of forest have been cleared in the Acholi sub-region over the past six years for timber and charcoal production.
In May, President Museveni imposed a nationwide ban on commercial charcoal production in the north, east, and West Nile regions, his second executive order in two years aimed at protecting natural forests from destruction.