SALEM Uganda has embarked on a 3 year tree planting project to mitigate the effects of, and assist local farmers to adapt to Climate Change. The goal is to plant 1 million trees. SALEM is working in partnership with 3 other NGO’s in the region who are members of the ‘Mbale Coalition Against Poverty’ and are supported by Waterloo Foundation UK and the Welsh Assembly Government.
Tree planting is identified as one of the most important activities that will assist in combating climate change as trees provide protection and promote stability of the environment. SALEM is therefore working to empower the community through training community groups in growing trees in nursery beds as well as enhancing their environmental management skills. SALEM is working with its neighbouring communities as well as supporting groups in the Beduda District, a mountainous region which experienced a devastating mudslide in March 2010, due largely to the combined effects of deforestation and heavy rainfall.
As in many other parts of the world, in the past few years Eastern Uganda has experienced some unpredictable weather including flooding in 2007 and a drought in 2009. As the majority of the population are subsistence farmers depending entirely on rain fed agriculture to grow their food they have become extremely vulnerable to any changes in the climate. Too little rain means a poor harvest and can leave families in a state of severe hunger. Too much rain can lead to flooding which destroys crops and erodes topsoil. Incidences of malaria greatly increase at these times as mosquito populations breed in huge numbers. Trees can provide valuable protection in times of drought and flood by protecting the soil, reducing the potential for erosion and benefiting crops. The practice of inter-planting trees with crops can also improve the microclimate and therefore increase harvest yields as well as providing wood products.
It is intended that through supporting community groups, local farmers will be equipped with the skills and resources to manage their environments and be informed of the effects of harmful land use practices.
In a holistic perspective, planting trees has the potential to reduce poverty and lead to a better quality of life for thousands of people. SALEM therefore is working together with the local people so we can all move forward together.
