Minister orders arrest of livestock farmers grazing in Kalangala oil palm areas

The Minister of State for Animal Industry, Lt Col (Rtd) Bright Rwamirama, has ordered the arrest and prosecution of livestock farmers grazing their cattle in oil palm gardens owned by Oil Palm Uganda Limited (OPUL) in Kalangala District.

In a November 25 letter addressed to Mr Fred Badda, the Kalangala District Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr Rwamirama said he had received information that herds of cattle are being ferried into Kalangala oil palm plantations owned by OPUL from unknown location without following government procedures for livestock movement.

“Grazing cattle in all palm plantation is very destructive to the project. Grazing should be on open grassland and farm controlled environment,” the letter reads. The minister also instructed the commissioner Animal Health to investigate the origin of marauding animals and how they access the island. “ …the district security team should liaise with the regional police commander and enforce removal of all animals that are already within the oil palm plantation on OPUL land, cause prosecution of the owners/ trespassers and enforce total ban of all animals on OPUL land,” he added.

Available statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture shows that Kalangala has 12,000 hectares of oil palm trees, of which 6,500 hectares belong to the investor, OPUL.

In an interview with Monitor on Saturday, Mr Badda confirmed receiving the ministerial directive, but called for a phased approach to ensure harmony. “We are having a meeting between the management of OPUL and livestock owners on Wednesday to discuss the current impasse,” he said.

According to the RDC, the management of OPUL has on several occasions complained that cattle grazing disrupts the plantations’ ecosystem and damages crops.

Available statistics at the district natural resources office indicate that Kalangala has 14,500 head of cattle and 23,000 goats.

However, the district has no single sheep since islanders consider them as having ‘a bad omen’. Mr Rajab Ssemakula, the Kalangala District chairperson, said the current standoff between OPUL management and livestock farmers stems from the historical use of the land currently occupied by oil palm plantations. “

Before the establishment of oil palm plantations, the land was predominantly grassland used for grazing. Since there is limited alternative grazing areas, farmers have now been forced to graze in the plantations,” he said.

He also complained how it is challenging to control livestock movement in the district.

“Being an island district, Kalangala has porous entry points, which becomes difficult to monitor and prevent cattle from being ferried into the district,” he said.

Background

At least 11,800 hectares of oil palm trees have so far been planted on Kalangala’s main Island of Buggala, where the crop was introduced nearly two decades ago.

The project recently started expanding to other islands in Kalangala such as Bunyama and Bubembe.

In 2021 , another island district of Buvuma also embraced oil palm growing and more districts like Mayuge and Kyotera have also been considered under the second phase of implementation of the project.