Farmers in Namutumba District are increasingly clearing wetlands to grow rice and cutting down trees to create gardens for groundnuts, a practice local leaders say is worsening environmental degradation and exposing communities to prolonged drought.
Wetlands are being opened up for rice growing, while trees are being cut to create space for groundnut gardens. The changes are affecting agricultural production in a district where farming is the main source of livelihood, with farmers reporting prolonged dry spells, declining soil fertility and unreliable harvests.
Namutumba District chairperson David Mukisa said the expansion of rice growing into wetlands and destruction of trees were contributing to the environmental challenges facing the district.
‘People are planting maize and rice in the wetland and we see that that one is a problem because they have cleared all the wetlands. Once you cut all the trees, automatically what comes out is to see that drought is the end result,’ Mr Mukisa said.
He made the remarks during Climate Justice Week of Action, an initiative aimed at raising awareness about the effects of climate change and promoting people-led solutions.
According to Mr Mukisa, the destruction of wetlands and trees has left communities more vulnerable to prolonged dry spells, which are affecting crop production.
He urged residents to protect wetlands and increase tree planting to restore vegetation and help communities cope with changing weather patterns.
However, Mr Mukisa said tree planting alone would not be enough to address the effects of prolonged drought, calling for increased investment in irrigation schemes to enable farmers to continue producing food during dry periods.
‘Irrigation schemes can help during the time of dry seasons. When the season is dry, you get water and put it in your garden. That can help us to avoid prolonged drought,’ he said.
Farmer and environmentalist Eva Namaganda also raised concerns about the use of artificial chemicals in groundnut growing, saying they were affecting soil fertility.
‘Some people growing groundnuts use artificial chemicals, which affect our land and reduce soil fertility. We encourage them to use natural fertilisers that we make from materials around us,’ she said.
Ms Namaganda said rice growing was also putting pressure on wetlands as farmers expanded into areas not meant for cultivation.
‘Rice growing is also affecting the environment because farmers are entering wetlands, including wetlands that are not meant for rice growing. They grow rice there using improper methods,’ she said.
She said prolonged drought and declining soil fertility were making farming increasingly difficult.
‘I have experienced a lot of drought and issues such as soil infertility in Namutumba. Farming is the main activity we depend on to sustain ourselves. We have therefore looked at farming methods that can withstand the conditions in the district,’ Ms Namaganda said.
She called for increased government support to help farmers adapt to drought and maintain food production.
‘We are asking the government, especially those who plan and allocate money, to support us. Instead of using money to pay debts, they should allocate more resources to activities that can help address climate change and enable us to continue farming even during droughts,’ she said.
The concerns have also renewed calls for climate financing to reach communities facing the effects of climate change.
ActionAid International Uganda country director Samuel Ntale said national and global climate commitments should translate into practical interventions at community level.
‘Global commitments are usually on paper, but the change happens at community level. We believe we can only measure these commitments at community level because that is where we have the knowledge and expertise of people who live there,’ Mr Ntale said.
He said Uganda’s debt-servicing obligations were consuming resources that could otherwise be used to address climate-related challenges.
‘Uganda pays a considerable amount of money towards debt servicing, yet some of this money could have been used to address climate shocks affecting communities,’ he said.
Mr Ntale said prolonged droughts and flooding could create further financial pressure if communities and governments were forced to borrow more resources to respond to climate-related emergencies.
‘With the high cost of debt servicing, we get into another cycle of climate shocks through prolonged droughts and flooding, and then we find ourselves borrowing more. We therefore need to have discussions about debt reform that is more sustainable so that we can save more resources to support climate action,’ he said.
He called for climate financing, including loss and damage funding, to reach local governments and communities instead of remaining at national level.
‘Local governments, as they enter the budgeting process, we also need to look at how much of their budgets is going towards environmental protection so that the effects of climate shocks can be addressed. Government has also put in place a climate finance strategy. Beyond having it on paper, how is it being implemented? We need the funds to finance the future of climate justice,’ Mr Ntale said.
Mr Ntale said the loss and damage fund emerged from discussions at the 2022 United Nations climate summit, COP27, where countries agreed to establish arrangements to support vulnerable developing countries affected by climate-related impacts.
‘The first batch of some of the funding has been received and is currently being managed through the Ministry of Finance, through the Climate Change Department,’ he said.