By.Admin
The assistant commissioner forestry in the ministry of water and environment John Kazungu wants government to study and analyze why trees planted in the past five years have not survived their third year.
According to Kazungu over the past five years, government and development partners embarked on mass tree planting campaign but the survival rate of the planted tree is worrying which calls for critical analysis if the campaign in to realize its purpose.
He further noted that as a department, they have so far supplied 40% indigenous trees to Ugandans to plant as a way of replacing the lost 24% of Uganda’s forest cover but their worry comes as over 70% of these tree don’t live to see their third year.
With the department planning to plant 40 million tree in eight hours next year, Kazungu calls for a full study on how better these tree will survive and meet the purpose as to which they are planted.
However, the assistant commissioner crop production in the ministry of agriculture, John Lodungor said, for Uganda to regain her lost ecology and biodiversity, there is need for people to resort to food forests which involves growing tree which are able to act as sources of food to man.
Its estimated that 50% of the forests lost are on private land which now calls for more sensitization of individuals on the benefits of preserving and growing trees.
Forests contribute 2.9% to Uganda’s GDP annually.
This was revealed at a function where PELUM was launching the 2.5 million tree planting campaign as it marked the 25th year in existence.
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