Adjumani revives environmental committees to combat natural resource depletion
ADJUMANI, August 2, 2025 — Adjumani District Local Government, with support from the Uganda Refugee Resilience Initiative [URRI], has reactivated its District and Sub-county Environment and Natural Resource Committees [DENRCs]. These committees, mandated under Section 28 of Uganda’s National Environment Act No. 5 of 2019, are tasked with spearheading environmental management efforts in the district.
The committees bring together a wide range of stakeholders, including the offices of the Resident District Commissioner [RDC], Local Council V [LCV], the Chief Administrative Officer [CAO], the District Natural Resources Office, the Refugee Desk Office, UNHCR, cultural institutions, non-governmental organisations [NGOs], Members of Parliament, and the private sector.
According to Charles Giyaya, the Adjumani district Natural Resources Officer, the committees are instrumental in coordinating environmental activities, integrating environmental concerns into local plans, drafting ordinances and by-laws, and raising public awareness. They also collaborate with the National Environment Management Authority [NEMA] and other agencies to prepare reports, develop action plans, and ensure compliance with national regulations.
CAO James Ocen commended URRI for its support, noting that such committees are critical for decentralising environmental governance. He emphasised that they foster community participation and ensure sustainable natural resource management is incorporated into local planning.
Ocen highlighted the district’s growing environmental challenges, including rampant charcoal burning, illegal logging, and bushfires, which have worsened droughts, floods, and rising temperatures. He also linked the situation to population growth and the influx of refugees, who rely heavily on tree cutting for fuel.
UNHCR Field Assistant, Emmanuel Okumu noted that the competition for limited natural resources between refugees and host communities requires strict mitigation measures. “Back in 2013, refugees could collect firewood nearby. Today, they travel over five kilometers due to massive deforestation,” added Albert Alunmbgi, calling for stronger enforcement of environmental laws.
Assistant RDC Sharon Apio Ruth Baru urged committee members to work together to restore the environment for future generations.
Background
Uganda’s District Environment and Natural Resource Committees stem from the country’s push for decentralised environmental governance, which gained momentum in the 1990s. Their foundation traces back to the National Environment Act of 1995 [Cap 153], which formally provided for the creation of District Environment Committees under Section 14, a framework that continues today under the updated 2019 law.
https://thecooperator.news/adjumani-leaders-mobilise-communities-in-fight-against-plastic-pollution/
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