Ugandan church embarks on 50,000 fruit tree planting initiative

UGANDA – Mukono diocese in conjunction with Sinza Hope Givers has launched a drive through which 50,000 fruit tree seedlings will be planted in the four districts of Mukono, Buikwe, Kayunga and Buvuma, Uganda.

Bp. Enos Kitto Kagodo, the Bishop of Mukono launched the program at the diocesan headquarters in Mukono Municipality.

According to him, the drive will restore the environment which has been deprived of most of the natural forests and wetlands to pave way for the construction of factories, residential and commercial buildings.

“We selected fruit trees which also cater for the nutrition. We intend to have these trees planted on schools, churches, and some health units,” he highlighted.

The bishop said instead of keeping the church land idle which have of recent been attracting encroachment the; fruit tree campaign will cover all the land under threat.

For some institutions like schools that are lacking space, Kagodo said they are to plant the trees on their land boundaries.

The Sinza Hope Givers director, Cuthbert Waira says apart from planting the trees, they are going to teach the Christians in church, the pupils, and teachers in schools the advantages of planting the trees.

“We shall also highlight them on several disadvantages of deforestation. We also intend to start environment clubs in schools, and we shall boost those that are already in existence,” Waira said.

He added that the call for the restoration of the environment through tree planting has for over a time been highlighted by the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi and of late, the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu.

Waira said so far, over 4000 trees have already been planted as they are targeting the rainy season.

Food forests are a new phenomenon increasingly gaining popularity in most African nations and around the globe.

Rwanda, for instance, recently partnered with FAO on a fruit trees project titled ‘Supporting Innovative Urban Agriculture for Enhanced Food Security and Nutrition,’ in Kigali to foster urban food security.

This project, which is part of the FAO Green Cities initiative, aims to promote food security in urban areas by engaging with approximately 100 schools across the country.

The project’s inception workshop convened a diverse group of stakeholders, including Kigali’s Vice Mayor Martine Urujeni and the FAO Representative in Rwanda, Coumba Sow.

Their goal is to establish the foundation for an educational platform where both students and teachers can learn about sustainable agriculture and nutrition.

“Cultivating fresh produce within urban areas can provide access to affordable and nutritious food, especially for communities and schools that lack such resources,” stated Coumba Sow during her workshop address.

According to the World Agroforestry, the potential of fruit trees to optimize the combined benefits of livelihoods, food security, nutrition and climate mitigation and adaptation is quite promising.

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