Environmental degradation (desertification in Uganda)

Environmental degradation (desertification in Uganda Notes)

Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the available renewable and non renewable resources. It is the decline of the productive value of man’s environment.

• The degraded resources in Uganda include water, atmospheric air, soils/land, vegetation and forests, swamps/wetlands, minerals, etc.
• The degradation in Uganda is in form of water pollution, deforestation, mineral exhuastion, soil erosion and exhuastion, swamp reclamation, air pollution, etc.
• It should be noted that by 2001, 4-12 of Uganda‘s GDP was lost due to environmental degradation
• By 2004, 10-11% of the biodiversity was lost.

Map of Uganda showing areas of environmental degradation

Causes of environmental degradation in Uganda

Environmental degradation in Uganda has been a result of both human and physical factors explained below.

• Over grazing due to overstocking by pastoral tribes like Karamajong in Kaabong, Kotido, Moroto and Hima of Kiruhura, Sembabule, Mbarara, etc. This has led to devegetation exposing land to soil erosion and loss of fertility thus land degradation.
• High population pressure in areas of Kisoro, Kabale, Mbale which has led to land fragemantation thus over cultivation of land leading to reduced soil productivity causing land degradation.
• Extensive swamp reclamation like in Nabajjuzi wetland in masaka for settlement, Mpologoma and lumbuye wetlands for cultivation, this has led to loss of birds and animal habitats, drying up of streams, reduced land productivity and arid conditions.
• Monoculture has led to depletion of soil nutrients and a general loss of soil productivity. Coffee and banana growing areas of Mukono, Masaka, Mbale, tea growing at Kyamuhunga in Bushenyi, sugar cane growing at Lugazi season by season has all led to land degradation.
• Deforestation for purposes of wood fuel and timber in Mabira, Budongo, mt. Elgon forests has led to loss of forests. The continued loss of forests has led to soil erosion and degradation and low and unreliable rainfall in such areas.
• Bush burning by pastoral tribes of Hima in Isingiro, Kiruhura, Karamajongs in Kaabong, Kotido, has led to loss of vegetation leading to soil erosion and degradation.
• The use of pesticides and over use of fertilizers in rice growing at Doho, kasaku tea in Mukono, coffee growers in Masaka and Mpigi all at the end leads to pollute soils, leads to death of soil living organisms which are responsible for soil formation thus land degradation.
• Industrialization has led to water and air pollution especially in industrial cities and towns of Jinja, Kampala, Kasese, Tororo, etc. This emanates from industrial fumes and wastes like Uganda breweries at Luzira pollutes lake Victoria leading to death of aquatic life thus degradation.
• The effect of poor disposal of industrial products like plastic bottles, polythene bags, which takes long to decay causing soil deterioration. Companies such as coca cola, Nile house of plastics are responsible for accumulation of plastic products into soils thus land degradation.
• Mining of minerals like copper at Kilembe-Kasese has led to mineral exhuastion and land deformation, clay at Kajjansi-Wakiso has deteriorated swamps affecting rain formation and ecosystem thus swam reclamation.
• The continued road construction which involves excavating of the landscape leading to soil erosion and landslides. Roads like Kampala-Kabale, Kampala-Gulu, Northern-by pass, Entebbe express high way, have reclaimed swamps, deformed land and cleared forests.
• Political instabilities in Uganda since 1970s, With 1980s Luwero triangle war, the 20 year LRA Kony war in Gulu, ADF-Kasese threats, Kampala city demonstrations all leads to loss of lives, vegetation and land degradation. Also the tear gas affect man, animals and insects as well as the ozone layer.
• The practice of indiscriminate fishing and use of poison during fishing has affected the aquatic life leading to exhuastion. On lakes such as Victoria, Kyoga, Albert, fish has reduced and water contaminated by poison affecting human life .
• Increasing use of second hand motor vehicles, computers and other machinery which emits nitrogen-oxide and other fumes leading to air pollution. In congested towns such as Kampala, Jinja, human life is affected by such fumes causing cancer, acidic rains received and global warming.
• Floods due to heavy rains have destroyed agricultural land, crops and settlements. Elnino rains of 1997-98 in Uganda led to floods which caused diseases like cholera in Kampala, killed people in Bwaise and kalerwe, destroyed crops in soroti, caused erosion in Kisoro thus land degradation.
• Mass wasting inform of landslides in Bududa and Bulambuli have burried and destroyed a variety of fauna and Flora. Such slides have caused devegetation, deformation of landscape and death of people.
• Weeds such as water hyacinth on lake Kyoga and Victoria has affected fish existance since it absorb oxygen gas from water thus fish death. The weeds also affect boat movement and the general fishing industry.
• Crop pests like locusts, cartapillas, and diseases such as coffee wilt, banana wilt, all attack and destroy Flora in form of crops and trees in Mabira, Mpigi, Luwero, etc. This reduces crop productivity and changes natural vegetation.
• In addition to above are animal pests like ticks, tsetse flies, which attack and reduce the quality of animals both domestic in Kaabong, Kiruhura, mbarara and also diseases such as foot and mouth, East coast fever killing animals in Queen Elizabeth and Kidepo national Park. This lowers the productivity of fauna in Uganda.
• Drought ie prolonged sun shine in karamoja areas of Moroto, Kaabong, western rift valley of Kasese, has caused land degradation. Drought leads to wind erosion, reduced vegetation cover and affects the water table thus degradation.
• Heavy rains characterized by hailstorms have destroyed crops and killed animals in Isingiro, Iganga, Kamuli, Kayunga, etc. Such strong winds have reduced productivity in crops, led to famine and general effect to wildlife.

Effects of environmental degradation

• These effects are majorly negative and they include
• Siltation of rivers and streams due to soil erosion ran off into streams like Birira, Ishasha and lakes such as Bunyonyi andvMutanda. This eventually leads to death of aquatic life and water contamination.
• Lowering of the water table due to destruction of wetlands of Lumbuye, kirihiri, Mutai, leading to drying up of streams like in Kabale. This reduces water for domestic purpose, affects aquatic life and leads to unreliable rainfall.
• Degradation leads to desertification since forests, wetlands and atmospheric air is endangered through blocking the process of evapo- transpiration and evaporation. This reduces rainfall received and it’s reliability in areas like Kaabong, Sembabule, Kiruhura, etc.
• Reduction in soil productivity due to soil erosion in Mbale, soil exhuastion at Kasaku in Mukono and overgrazing in Kiruhura. This leads to reduced crop and animal yields thus famine in Kabale, Mubende, etc.
• Reduction in fish from water bodies like Victoria and Kyoga due to increased water pollution and indiscriminate fishing. This has affected local incomes at Kasenyi, Uganda‘s GDP due to reduced fish exports and reduce animal proteins from fish.
• Increased health harzards such as heart diseases, high blood pressure, cancer due to pollutant gasses from industries, vehicles in Kampala, Jinja, etc. This has led to death of many Ugandans.
• There is reduction in wildlife in Kisoro, Kasese, Hoima where Lions, gorillas, chimpanzee, since it’s habitats are destroyed due to deforestation.
• Landslides have blocked roads like in Bundibugyo, Bududa, Bulambuli, etc. These impassable roads like Kabale-Kisoro have hindered trade and communication in Uganda.

Measures to overcome environmental degradation and it’s effects

• Afforestation and reforestation programs have been under taken in areas of Mbarara, Kabale, Ntungamo which have controlled soil erosion.
• Terracing is widely practiced in Kigezi highlands of Kisoro, Rukungiri which has reduced on soil erosion and thus controlled soil exhuation.
• Crop rotation has been under taken in Kumi, Pallisa where farmers grow maize, beans, cotton, cassava, etc. this has enriched the soils.
• There has been controlled grazing through establishing of ranches in Mbarara, Nakasongola, Kiruhura, etc. This has reduced on vegetation destruction and soil erosion.
• Agro-forestry is going on in Kabale, Kabanyoro in Wakiso, Bushenyi, etc. This practice of growing crops with in trees has modified climate and controlled erosion.
• Production of more power through dams of Bujagali in Jinja, Karuma, Bugoye, has helped to conserve forests. Also energy saving stoves has saved trees thus controlling soil erosion and modification of the climate.
• Massive education is being done in order to create awareness on the dangers of environmental degradation and how to combat it . This has helped to conserve forests and wetlands in Manafa,Bukwa and Kabale
• Regional co-operation between Uganda and her neighbours of Kenya and Tanzania over protection of L. Victoria fisheries (LVEMP) L. Victoria Environmental Management Programme. This has ensured sustainability of L. Victoria fisheries.
• There has been enacting of laws to protect the environment. It is not allowed to settle in wetlands and NEMA was set up to enforce such laws which protect swamps of Lubigi in Wakiso, Nabajjuzi in Masaka, etc.
• The government of Uganda has set up NEMA and NFA to manage wetlands and forests respectively. NEMA has already evicted wetland encroachers in LubigiWakiso, Bugolobi and Ntinda in Kampala, etc.
• There have been population control measures to reduce on population pressure on land, forests and other resources. The introduction of UPE and USE, use of condoms, pills in Kamuli, Kalangala, etc has indirectly conserved the environment.
• Improved security through the use of Uganda police and UPDF. The disarming of the Karamajong pastorists in Kaabong and Moroto as well as peace in Gulu and west Nile has reduced on environmental degradation caused by insecurity.
• Spraying uusing chemicals of pesticides and insecticide to locusts in Amudat, Nakapiripiriti, etc, to tsetse flies in Mayuge, Nakasongola and Kiruhura, which has controlled death of wildlife as well as destruction of vegetation.
• There has been discouraging of bush burning in many parts of Uganda like in Lwera, Moroto, Mbarara in order to protect the soils against soil erosion.
• Recycling of scrap products especially steel to avoid dumping and land pollution. Industries like Shumuk in Kampala and Rwenzori beverages as well as nice house of plastics have recycled plastic bottles and polythene bags thus preserving environment.
• Application of fertilizers, organic manure and mulching has helped to enriched the soils in many parts of Uganda. The use of artificial fertilizers at Kakira sugar estate in Jinja has reduced on soil exhaustion and erosion.