Lango clan reaps big from tree planting

Members of Okar Omwono Kongo clan at their tree plantation in Aber Sub-county, Oyam District, on January 31, 2023. PHOTO | BILL OKETCH

What you need to know:

  • Additionally, forests aid in rainfall formation hence water for agricultural production, besides offering a habitat for wildlife.  However, trees are being cut for firewood or charcoal burning, which is exacerbating climate change effects.

The Okar Omwono Kongo clan in Lango is expecting to fetch more than Shs50 million from a tree-planting project which was launched in 2009.

Dr Moses Michael Odongo Okune, the clan chief who also doubles as the Paramount Chief of Tekwaro Lango, bought 10,000 seedlings, which clan members planted in three different plantations in Oyam, Kwania and Amolatar District.

The plantations are in Atar, Apac Municipality; Atura in Aber Sub-county (Oyam); Akol in Arwotcek Sub-county (Amolatar), and Amwanga Village in Atongtidi Sub-county (Kwania).

The clan “greening initiative” is part of the efforts to boost biodiversity, curb deforestation amid devastating droughts and enhance household incomes.

Mr Moses Odongo, the acting clan chief (Awitong) of Okar Omwono Kongo, said they will earn more than Shs50 million from their first harvest.

He said the clan will plant more than 50,000 seedlings to replace the trees that they are currently cutting down for sale.

The money realised from the sale of timbers will be injected into the clan’s Kany Ilwak Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society.

The acting clan chief further said the cooperative is going to pay sufficient attention to what is needed to “leave no one behind”.

Members of the Okar Omwono Kongo clan expressed gratitude that under Dr Odongo’s 12-year leadership, the clan has achieved a lot in terms of development. For instance, Omwono Education Fund has so far graduated a chemical engineer from Kyambogo University.

They said after he was elected the clan chief in 2010, clan unity has remained very strong.

Dr Odongo Okune, however, urged caution. “Don’t allow the struggle for money to cause confusion and cripple the development of the cooperative. What causes conflict among Lango is the struggle for money and meat,” he said during a clan meeting at his residence in Senior Quarters, Lira City, on January 28

At the function, members contributed at least Shs1 million towards the Kany Ilwak Multi-purpose Cooperative Society. The Paramount Chief also cautioned elected clan leaders against corruption. 

“Those elected to manage our clan projects should be very transparent and accountable,” he added. 

Trees remain a key feature of our surroundings, absorbing carbondioxide for nutrition purposes. This helps to, among others, reduce the gas, which creates a layer that traps heat near the earth’s surface.

Additionally, forests aid in rainfall formation hence water for agricultural production, besides offering a habitat for wildlife.  However, trees are being cut for firewood or charcoal burning, which is exacerbating climate change effects.

Seven in every 10 households in Uganda (73 percent) use firewood for cooking while two in every 10 households (21 percent) use charcoal. Combined, biomass fuels (firewood and charcoal) constitute the main fuel for cooking in 94 percent of households, according to the Uganda National Household Survey 2019/2020 Report.