Kampala — THE forest sector has received a boost of over sh550m (US $300,000) to carry out capacity building workshops for district leaders and local communities in five pilot districts.

The principal inspector in the Ministry of Water, Lands and Environment, Salvatoris Byarugaba, said the money was part of the National Forest Programme Facility hosted by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, as a grant.

"A bigger chunk of this money has gone to non-governmental organisations because they are closer to the people than us," he said.

Byarugaba said forests that covered half of the country by 1901, now covered only 24%.

He was speaking at a workshop in Wobulenzi, Luweero recently.

The Uganda Forestry Authority organised the workshops to sensitise participants on forestry development.