Nakaseke, Uganda — On June 17, Uganda Breweries Limited staff in partnership with Tree Adoption Uganda and the Nakaseke community planted 5,000 trees in Nakaseke district to contribute to environmental sustainability and support the government's afforestation agenda.

The restoration of forests and tree cover by natural regeneration, plantation, or agroforestry has not kept pace with the annual loss of forest cover and the loss of individual trees.

According to the National Development Plan (NDP) III, the forest cover has declined from 24% (4.9 million ha) of Uganda's total land area to 9% (1.83 million ha) in 2018, which is a reduction of 57% in just 25 years. There has been a significant reduction in forest cover from 15% in 2010 to 9.5% in 2017.

The target, therefore is to increase land covered by forests from 9.1% percent to 15%. In the Financial Year 2023/2024 National Budget Shs417.6b has been allocated to natural resources, the environment, climate change, land, and water.

Suleiman Ngondi, the head of sustainability & communications at Uganda Breweries, said that the continued long-term success of UBL depends on the people and planet and a low tree cover threatens the environment and the prosperity of the communities within it.

"As the brewery we have been consistent in re-afforesting the nation through the Running Out Of Trees (ROOTs) campaign which the Ministry of Water & Environment spearheads in partnership with various players in the private sector," Ngondi said.

The seedlings planted are going to be mapped and monitored by Tree Adoption Uganda and the community to ensure that they survive and grow.