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Concern as wetlands face extinction in North Bukedi
A woman tends to her rice garden in Namatala wetland, one of the depleted water catchment areas in Budaka District. PHOTO | FRED WAMBEDE
What you need to know:
- Uganda’s wetland coverage has dropped from 17.5 per cent in the early 1990s to 8.5 per cent, while forest coverage has dropped from 24 per cent to 12.4 per cent due to human activities.
Residents of North Bukedi Sub-region in eastern Uganda are grappling with the effects of climate change.
With the area facing a persistent dry spell, numerous wetlands, which used to be the main source of water for domestic use and livestock, are drying up.
Local leaders say women and girls now move several kilometres in search of water, which was not the case five years ago.
Ms Mary Naula, a mother of six who neighbours Nandusi wetland in Budaka District, says when she was growing up, the wetland had flowing water throughout the year.
“Things are getting worse. The streams and the wetland itself have dried up. We also experience exceptional heat. It wasn’t like that when we were growing up,” Ms Naula says.
Like Nandusi, other wetlands that are under threat of extinction include Nambogo, Naboa Kakoli, Kamonkoli Namatala, Mpologoma, Tirinyi, Saala, Nansanga and Naweyo, among others.
Mr Kijali Cyprian Kamwada, the natural resource officer for Budaka District, says 94 percent of the population in the district earn their livelihood in wetlands, which have been converted into gardens.
“Its very hard to get a wetland which is natural . All of them have been depleted, including Namatala wetland systems, which covers about seven sub counties,” he says.
Mr Kamwanda says the government with support from partners have started restoration of the depleted wetlands and also provide alternative livelihoods to the affected locals.
Apart from supplying water, the wetlands play an important role in storing carbon, which stabilises climate.
Mr James Mwima, a rice farmer and resident of Saala Village in Kirika Sub-county, Budaka District, says changing weather patterns due to climate change have also affected rice business.
“Climate change is chasing us from the wetland because we cannot grow rice when the swamps have no water,” Mr Mwima says.
According to agribusiness specialists, rice growing produces methane gas, one of the green gases responsible for global warming.
This is partly the reason President Museveni in his February 8, 2022, letter banned the growing of rice in wetlands.
The President said the wetlands should now be used for fish farming that fetches more money and also conserves the environment unlike rice, which he says is a low value crop.
Mr Geofrey Ayeni, who is leading a team of environmental activists to walk 450 kilometres as part of an awareness campaign to save the environment, says fighting climate change requires drastic measures.
“The only solution is to get rid of people from the wetlands so that they are restored otherwise, we are heading for trouble,” he says.
Mr Ayeni says they experienced water shortages in the hotels they slept in on Mbale- Tirinyi road enroute to Lira.
“We were given five litres of water each of us and when we tried to ask for more, we were being told that there was no water,” he says.
The walk is part of activities to mark Uganda Water and Environment Week (March 20 to 25), which is organised by the Ministry of Water and Environment through Water Resources Institute (WRI). The chairperson of Tirinyi Town Council in Kibuku District, Mr Ivan Wampula, says during dry spells, they experience acute water shortage in the district.
He, however, says the construction of Tirinyi-Kibuku Water Supply by the government has helped.
“But we ask the government to expand the connections to other villages in the district without tap water,” he says.
The scheme serves 18 villages and two town councils of Kibuku and Tirinyi with 467 connections.
Mr David Mukisa, the chairperson of Namutumba District, says the two wetland systems--- Mpologoma and Naigombwa - are facing extinction.
“Quite a big population in this district derive their livelihoods from wetlands, which pose a big problem to the wetland integrity,” he says.
Mr Maximo Twinomuhangi, the team leader of Kyoga Water Management Zone, says wetland degradation increases the challenges of floods, loss of biodiversity and prolonged droughts.
Mr Twinomuhangi says locals should vacate wetlands, adding that the affected will be supported with alternative sources of livelihoods such as fish farming and growing of high value crops.
