Butaleja rice farmers oppose gov’t ban in swamps

BUTALEJA-Rice farmers in Butaleja district have opposed the plan by government to ban the growing of the grain and other food crops in swamps.

The farmers argue that the government’s decision affects their livelihoods as rice is both their food and a major source of their income.

About 40 percent of Butaleja is covered by water bodies and wetlands.

Recently, the government banned the growing of rice and other crops in wetlands across the country.

In a recent resolution passed by Cabinet, and communicated by the Minister of State for Environment Beatrice Anywar, government said this is done to restore the environment that has been affected by these activities.

Anywar, said wetlands and forests have been disappearing at a fast rate and something has to be done to stop the trend that is likely to cause environmental challenges in future.

The minister said Uganda’s wetland coverage has dropped from 17.5 percent in the early 1990s to 8.5 percent, while forest coverage has dropped from 24 percent to 12.4 percent.

David Mulabi, the former Contestant for Bunyole East Member of Parliament, said the proposed law is one of the most discriminative and recklessly managed policy processes.

“First of all, the government has been giving out forests to foreigners to build industries. They have not said anything about urban encroachment on wetlands for home construction. Why target the poor farmers who have nowhere to go and have been farming these wetlands for over 50 years,” Mulabi said.

Mulabi, also a prominent rice farmer in the district, said such a policy with a huge potential for social impact should have gone through long studies and consultations to understand what is at stake with the farmers before coming up with win-win alternatives.

“They just simply need to drop the whole thing and start afresh with proper policy consultation with a view of not evicting farmers but to get sustainable and practical solutions. There seems to be a government ploy to marginalize the rice farming section of Uganda,” he said.

He added that “Instead of giving such money to our farmers to improve output, they supported foreign farmers at the expense of Ugandan farmers. There is a need to review wetland use by farmers and come up with a policy developed from meaningful participation of farmers,” he said.

Hellen Nemwa, a rice farmer, said that the wetland is the only source of livelihood for Butaleja.

“These wetlands have paid for people’s school fees including myself. Let the government Sensitize the farmers. Have a compensation arrangement for us before having a Resettlement Plan,” Nemwa said.

According to her, there is a challenge of land pressure which has led to land fragmentation and hence low productivity.

“For example, an average family has seven Members and they own an average acreage of 4 acres. We request the government to equip farmers with knowledge and implement alternative and modern farming methods including Irrigation systems,” she said.

Peter Hasahya, a resident, said almost 95 percent of the indigenous citizens in Butaleja District depend on wetlands for farming, hence their survival.

“About 90 percent of Butaleja district is a wetland, this means that almost 70 percent of the homesteads live and sleep in wetlands. How will the government handle those who sleep and stay in wetlands, ” Hasahya said.

He said almost 98 percent of the population generate their income through use of these wetlands.

He said the government banning the use of wetlands is unfair.

“We grow rice, watermelon, banana, tomatoes, and maize in these wetlands. Government wants to kill us indirectly by poverty and hunger. We are not ready to leave these wetlands,” he said.

The Butaleja District LC5 Chairperson, Micheal Higenyi Bory, said the biggest part of land in Butaleja is a wetland

“The serious activity taking place in Butaleja is rice farming. People obtain daily income from swamps for survival,” Higenyi said.

He said the district has benefited from rice farming.

“We want people to get organized in cooperatives whereby we shall do the zoning of these areas in swamps. Some of these areas will be no-go zones, other areas will be gazetted for fish farming and others will be for rice cultivation, ” Higenyi said.

Butaleja District has many swamps that include, Doho rice scheme, Lwoba irrigation scheme, Nakwasi swamp, Hijjinji swamp, Wampala swamp, Namatala swamp, Mpologoma, Nakwiga, Nahinghande, Doho-hibira, Namatala swamp, Hisega swamp among others.

Statistics from Butaleja District Production Office show that the district produces about 65,000 kilogrammes of milled rice every year.

Butaleja is an agricultural district with 88.7 percent of its income derived from natural resources.

Rice growing is by far the major economic activity since it doubles as both food and cash crop. Butaleja is predominantly an agricultural district with about 95 percent of the population involved in this activity.

Rice growing gained prominence in the 1970s, following the establishment of the Doho Rice scheme by the government. Doho Rice Scheme has more than 2,500 acres of land and more than 9,000 farmers involved as both out-growers and part of the scheme growers.

Bunyole East MP, Yusuf Mutembuli expressed concern over the government’s recent ban on rice growing in wetlands.

“Butaleja District is an agricultural district with 98 percent of its income coming from farming. Government should first come up with alternatives that can give farmers money before stopping them from growing rice in wetlands because our people entirely depend on rice as their source of income and food,” Mutembuli said.

He said people in the district have survived on rice growing “and it is what is helping them to educate their children.

“First get people’s alternatives before chasing them out of the wetlands. We are going to meet as MPs from wetland regions and confront the Minister behind this,” he said.

He asked farmers to keep using the wetlands.

“Government is going to take much more time to address this wetland issue. As MPs we’re going to fight and will not allow this issue to proceed,” he said, adding that they are not fighting the government, but the government needs to first plan for its people.

According to Mutembuli rice growing is both a food and cash crop in the district.

“Banning the growing of rice in wetlands then you’re telling us as Banyole that we should die poor. All of us in Butaleja were educated as a result of rice growing. The moment you stop growing rice in wetlands people will no longer educate their children,” he said.

He asked the government to come up with an alternative before evicting people from the wetlands.

“Before we leave the swamp there must be an alternative and these alternatives must be clear and acceptable to the people of Butaleja. We must first practice it and we realize that it’s far better than rice growing then people will voluntarily leave the wetland. Telling us to leave wetlands without alternatives will be unfair to the people of this country who grow rice in wetlands.”

https://thecooperator.news/mbarara-rcc-evicts-locals-from-rucece-wetland/

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