Nema approval delays oil palm project in Masaka

The Agriculture ministry has asked the National Environmental Management Authority (Nema) to expedite the process of approving the oil palm project in Masaka District.

The plan to roll out oil palm growing in the district was hatched three years ago, but challenges in land acquisition and securing Nema’s approval have both delayed the start of the project.

Mr Anthony Wanyoto, the communication and knowledge management officer at the ministry, said securing Nema approval is crucial since part of the areas selected for the project are along the shores of Lake Victoria.

“Since this oil palm project is going to be implemented in areas located in a narrow belt (25-30 km) along Lake Victoria shores, it is a pre-requisite by international standards to assess how far it can affect the biodiversity and general environment of the area before being launched,” he said during an interview on Tuesday.

He added that many farmers from different parts of the district have reached out to them expressing interest to grow oil palm trees, but such requests will wait until Nema approves the project.

“We have been waiting for Nema clearance for two years and we are still optimistic that we will get it,” he added.

Currently, the disclosure of environmental and social impact assessment is ongoing in Masaka, Kalungu and Kyotera Districts, according to Mr Wanyoto.

“This is as a requirement from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) as we wait for approval of the environmental assessment report by Nema,’’ he added.

In an interview with Monitor on Wednesday, Mr William Lubulwa, a senior public relations officer at Nema, said the assessment of impact on the environment is a long process.

“This process [of approving oil palm project] is not a walk in the park, it is done by experts and takes some good time. We ask stakeholders to remain patient as experts finalise their work,” he said

Beneficiaries

Mr Tom Sserwaniko, the chief coordinator of Masaka Oil Palm Project, said more than 500 local farmers had registered as outgrowers, but during the ongoing assessment it was discovered that some pieces of land are unfit for the project.

“Cultural sites and wetlands must not be affected during this project, according to the funder. That is why some farmers who had applied to be part of this project, were excluded after our teams inspected their land,’’ he said

Mr Sserwaniko, however, said he is optimistic that the assessment and approval reports shall be out by March 2025.

“During implementation of this project small scale farmers (those with one to five acres of land) will be prioritised and will be organised and encouraged to form cooperatives from where they will be skilled and facilitated to grow oil palm,” he said.

The government targets 4,000 hectares of land in Masaka and so far 2,000 hectares have already been secured in the sub-counties of Bukakkata, Buwunga, Kyanamukkakka and Kyesiiga

Oil palm project had earlier been introduced in Masaka District in 2003, but got a lot of resentment from local politicians and people, which forced the government to relocate it to Kalangala where it has been effectively implemented for more than 20 years now.

Districts like Buvuma, Kyotera and Mayuge have embraced oil palm growing and more districts in central, eastern, northern and West Nile regions are yet to be considered under the second phase of the project.

Museveni drive

While on his poverty alleviation tour in Kalangala on May 26, 2023, President Museveni advised islanders to embrace growing more oil palm to enable the country get enough oil palm products such as soap and cooking oil.

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