Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) staff in partnership with Tree Adoption Uganda has continued to give back to communities by planting trees in Nakaseke district in a bid to fight global warming.

The exercise of planting trees took place on Tuesday, June 20, 2023.

According to Suleiman Ngondi, the UBL Corporate Relations Manager-Sustainability and Communications, the continued long term success of UBL depends on people and the planet, as low tree cover threatens the environment and prosperity of communities within.

“As a company, we have been consistent in the re-afforestation of the nation through ‘Running out of Trees’ (ROOTS), a campaign spearheaded by Ministry of water and Environment in partnership with various players in the private sector,” said Ngondi.

He further revealed that ROOTS, spearheads an initiative that brings together private sector and non-state actors to support government programs of replenishing Uganda’s forest cover, and targeting 40 million trees by 2025.

“The restoration of forests and tree cover by natural regeneration, plantation or agro forestry has not kept pace with the annual loss of forest cover and the loss of individual trees,” said Ngondi

Ngondi said that, Nakaseke is a key area of interest, because it is located in the cattle corridor, and has been a major wood source.

He added that, the high demand for wood, charcoal, heavy encroachment through resettlement, crop cultivation, and over grazing has greatly affected the once ever green district.

“That is why over 5000 trees were planted today and seedlings provided to the residents who planted in their gardens in support of the program. The trees planted will be marked for easier monitoring by Tree adoption Uganda,” Ngondi said.

According to National Development Plan (NDP) III, tree cover has declined by 24% representing 4.9million hectares of the total land area of 9% representing 1.83million hectares in 2018, which represents a reduction of 57% in the last 25years. A significant reduction of 15% in 2010 to 9.5% in 2017.

“The target therefore is to increase from 9.5% to 15%,” NDP III report indicated.

In the recent National budget reading for the financial year 2023/2024, Shs417.6billion was allocated to natural resources, environment, climate change, land, and water.