Kampala — People should plant trees to prevent desertification. Harriet Nankya, the forestry officer, said with the support of the local government development programme, the district set up a tree-planting project and urged residents to embrace it.

Under the project, the district set up a nursery where trees are sold at sh20 for mango trees, sh150 for callindra, sh150 for mahogany and sh30 for oranges.

She advised residents to approach the district forestry office for advice on tree planting and cutting.

She said residents of Namayumba cut down trees to plant rice which affected the environment.

Nankya said this while distributing over 5,000 tree species to St. Joseph Technical Institute Kisubi in Namayumba sub-county, at Wakiso district headquarters, recently. She advised residents to form groups to plant trees for commercial purposes.

She said the district had a plan to grow apples on a large-scale to alleviate poverty.