Kampala — UGANDA has received a $200,000 (sh430m) grant from the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) to implement forestry conservation activities between 2009 and 2012.

The grant launched at Hotel Africana in Kampala on Wednesday will finance the second phase of the National Forestry Facility Programme. Uganda is one of the 70 countries supported by the FAO-NFP.

The programme is implemented through a partnership between Uganda Forestry Working Group, the Government and a network of forest conservationists across the country.

"We are going to focus on advocating for increased prioritisation and resource allocation to district forest services," said Christine Nantongo, the executive director of Environmental Alert, a non-governmental organisation.

Nantongo said her orgnisation would advocate for enhancing the capacity of farmers and forest users to develop economic, social and environmental opportunities through forestry.

She said the forestry conservation activities would also be extended to Adjumani, Dokolo and Katakwi districts.

Phase one covered Wakiso, Mukono, Mubende, Luweero, Hoima and Masindi districts.

Rachael Musoke, the commissioner for forest sector support said forest reserves on private land are being degraded six times faster than those on public land.

The FAO programme assistant, Beatrice Akello, urged the beneficiaries to be transparent.