Local woman fights to protect her community as government promotes surprising solution: 'What I'm teaching isn't new'

Janet Nyakairu Abwoli is helping to lead the charge after the Ugandan government promoted a surprising solution to a growing crisis threatening the livelihoods of community members.

The Kasese district produces valuable crops such as cotton, coffee, and maize, according to the local government, and more than 70% of farmers use the crops solely to support their families. Sadly, as detailed by Mongabay, increasingly unpredictable rainfall patterns have led to flooding of the Kasese's principal river, destroying homes and farm fields.

As a result, the Ugandan government and societal organizations are encouraging locals to plant native trees, including dracaena — a drought-resistant plant that helps fields hold on to their moisture — and quick-growing ficus, which limits erosion, provides shade, and can serve as a food source for goats.

In addition to supporting biodiversity, native trees are easier to care for because they are adapted to their local environment. For one, they are more resistant to pests — which, like the extreme and erratic weather, have also become more prevalent as global temperatures have warmed.

"It's not just about planting trees, it's about understanding their purpose and the role they play in our survival," Kasese municipality environment officer Evelyn Mugume told Mongabay.

The Kasese municipality has launched multiple nurseries to provide free tree seedlings for reforestation, and nongovernmental organizations like the World Wildlife Fund also contribute. Abwoli has wholeheartedly embraced this mission. She has been organizing groups of women to participate in the initiative for around eight years.

"We don't just plant trees. We plant hope," she told Mongabay, adding that her grandmother is the one who first taught her to appreciate the benefits of native trees. "What I'm teaching isn't new. It's what our ancestors practiced before deforestation took over."

For Jannet Kabugho, who planted native trees eight years ago, the results have been transformative, keeping her maize in peak condition and her soil moist even during dry seasons.

Abwoli also holds workshops to teach women how to care for the trees, and many have begun passing the knowledge on to their families.

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One of the biggest roadblocks to expanding the initiative is cost, according to Mongabay.  Families dependent on farm yields spend leftover money on essentials like medical and school fees, but seedlings need consistent irrigation until their roots are firmly established. Yet Johnson Karehero, the district's officer for natural resources, believes Abwoli's efforts are crucial.

"We must build on her initiative with additional support for tools and training to sustain these efforts," he told Mongabay.

"It's not just about planting trees. It's about protecting what sustains us," Abwoli added.

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