Adjumani Beats Five-Year Tree Planting Target by Nearly 50% in World Bank Forestry Drive

Adjumani District has emerged as the top performer under the Investing in Forests and Protected Areas for Climate-Smart Development (IFPA-CD) Woodlots Programme after exceeding its five-year tree-planting target by nearly 50 percent.

Project records show Adjumani was assigned a target of establishing 368 hectares of woodlots over the five-year period but instead planted 544 hectares. The programme, implemented by Uganda’s Ministry of Water and Environment with support from the World Bank, aims to promote sustainable forest management and create economic opportunities for communities living near refugee settlements.

Other districts also recorded strong results. Amuru established 482 hectares against a target of 412 hectares, Moyo planted 219 hectares against 184 hectares, Lamwo achieved 291 hectares against 255 hectares, and Obongi nearly doubled its target by planting 160 hectares against a goal of 93 hectares.

The achievements were registered despite delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which shortened the implementation period. Denis Emmanuel Oweka, Regional Coordinator for the IFPA-CD Project in the West Nile North-East region, said the programme was designed to help refugee-hosting communities benefit economically from commercial tree growing while supporting environmental conservation.

“The objective of the project is to supply timber, poles and firewood to refugee-hosting areas while also increasing tree cover and contributing to climate change mitigation,” Oweka said. He added that high demand for forest products in refugee settlements offers communities a chance to develop sustainable income sources.

The programme was implemented through a consortium comprising NIRAS, ECOTRUST, Havilah Company Limited, and Green Life International. ECOTRUST led community mobilisation and training, helping farmers understand commercial forestry as a long-term investment. Farmers received training in land preparation, spacing, pest management, and planted fast-growing clonal eucalyptus varieties that can mature within three to five years, as well as high-value Sudanese teak.

Beyond economic benefits, the woodlots are expected to contribute to climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration and improved environmental resilience. As the IFPA-CD Woodlots Programme closes, stakeholders say the established plantations provide a foundation for continued investment in sustainable forestry and income generation.

Article source: allafrica.com | Image credit: Bewarenews