Nwoya Farmers Seek for Trees in Game Park due to Deforestation

The LC3 Chairman of Koch Goma in Nwoya district has revealed that locals in his area have written to him to allow them cut trees for drying their sim-sim crops from the nearby Murchison Falls National Park.

This follows the massive cutting down of the trees for charcoal burning leaving Koch Goma with virtually no vegetation cover.

‘’Many farmers from the sub county are now requesting that we talk to wild life authority so that they (farmers) cut tree logs from the park to dry their simsim harvested, ’’ Okullu said.

Okullu said the locals want his office to request the park authorities so they [farmers] can harvest trees from inside the national park.

Residents of Koch Goma Sub County sell out their trees and in some cases forests to charcoal burners from Kampala who come and base themselves in the area until they have depleted the trees before moving on elsewhere for more trees.

Okullu said that because of the tree cutting, certain plants like yams can no longer grow in Koch Goma which was once famous for the tubers.

The LC3 Chairman said in the past as many as 40 trucks would leave Koch Goma in a day filled with bags of charcoal destined for Kampala but he says that number has now dropped to 15.

To combat the practice, he recommends a need to sensitize communities on the importance of trees.

But Mark Okello, a resident of Koch Lii said charcoal burning is their major source of income outside of agriculture. But he too expressed worry about the rapidly dwindling vegetation cover in Koch Goma.

‘’Most of us survive on the money we earn from the charcoal selling however much we need the trees,’’ noted Okello.

Odinga Paul a resident of Goro central and Chairman Orum Growers and Cooperative Society told Acholi Times that they are having many challenges with their farm outputs especially simsim and the trees needed for its drying.

He says drying of the crop requires logs which have all been cut down for charcoal burning.  Residents now want the park authorities to allow them to cut logs from the park or to allow them dry their sim-sim crops in the park.