Swamps in Bukedea turned into Sugarcane Plantations

A total of 443.4 km wetland boundaries were demarcated in 16 districts including Kampala, Jinja, Mbale, Gulu, Lira, Masaka, Bushenyi, Isingiro, Rakai, Kaliro, Bulambuli, Masindi, Arua, Mukono, Iganga and Wakiso districts. These are critical wetlands which serve as sources of the Municipal/Town council water systems and also as sink for waste water and sewage from the urban centres. In Bukedea district, there is a glaring gap between the existence of laws and policies on the one hand, and the reality of implementation on the ground on the other, Farmers in Bukedea district have resorted to degrading wetlands and swamps through sugar cane growing claiming that they no longer keep cattle which was predominantly their source of income in the area. More worrying is that some farmers’ claim that their activities in the wetlands are largely being authorized by district environmental officers. Women also remain largely excluded from owning land, in Teso and particularly in Bukedea district as property customarily belongs to the male in the society.