The Million Trees International Organisation (MTI) has donated 12,000 fruit tree seedlings to the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) in a bid to restore the forest cover of Uganda ahead of the 43rd Tarehe Sita Anniversary celebrations.
Dr. Jibril Ssemakura Owomugisha, the founding director of MTI, who delivered the trees at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs headquarters in Mbuya, Kampala, on January 22, 2023, confirmed the organisation’s commitment to restore the forest cover of Uganda, which had been depleted from 24% in 1990 to 8.2% in 2018.
According to Owomugisha, the organisation recovered the forest cover to 13% in 2023. He also appreciated the UPDF for it’s continued efforts in environmental protection.
“It gives me great pleasure to appreciate UPDF for the good work done towards environmental protection, subsidiary to the main role of ensuring security in Uganda, across the borders in the East African Community, and the entire African Continent, especially now that re-afforestation has fully been embraced to increase forest cover in Uganda,” Owomugisha said.
Owomugisha said that the donation is timely and adds to their already existing efforts to increase forests on farmers’ land for food security, end malnutrition and hunger, increase household incomes, and end poverty within Busoga region.
He added that growing these trees during the April–May planting season will significantly benefit the nation.
The Tarehe Sita celebrations will be held on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, at Bugweri district headquarters under the theme of celebrating the people’s struggle for unity, security, and peace for social and economic transformation.