KAMPALA – In a bid to promote sustainable practices in Uganda’s forestry sector, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of Uganda have launched a five-year Sustainable Wood-Based Value Chains Project. The €15 million project (about UGX 64.5 billion), funded by the European Union, aims to improve the contribution of Uganda’s forestry sector to the economy and environment by ensuring a sustainable supply of legal wood raw materials from planted forests.
Speaking at the launch event held at Kigo-Mutungo Carpentry Village, Mr. Leonidas Hitimana, Project Manager from FAO, highlighted the project’s three critical pillars. “For those who may not be familiar, this project has three pillars,” he explained.
“The first pillar focuses on managing existing plantations, assessing available resources, and identifying niche markets with specific requirements. We’re also supporting certification, as it’s an area that deserves particular attention.”
Mr. Hitimana added that the project would provide training in forest harvesting, as it requires specific skills that may not be well-known to those who have invested in tree planting.
The second pillar, according to Mr. Hitimana, involves upgrading machinery and equipment to improve efficiency and reduce losses.
“As you’ve seen, the machines used here can be improved, and we’ll be working to address this over the next four years,” he said.
“This will require specific skills and attention, which may not be familiar to everyone.” The third pillar, he explained, aims to link cooperatives, SMEs, and financial institutions, facilitating access to loans and external resources.
“We know that this can be a challenge, as some of the requirements may not be well-known to our SMEs or cooperatives, and financial institutions may not fully understand the needs of the wood industry,” Mr. Hitimana noted.
Mr. Majidu Kigozi, General Secretary of the Kigo-Mutungo Carpentry Association, expressed his gratitude for the project’s support.
“Our strength lies in unity and cooperation, as we believe poverty is a common enemy that must be fought,” he said, decrying that, “However, we face challenges, including outdated machinery, which hinders our productivity and ability to meet deadlines. We rely heavily on sunshine to dry our wood, leading to breach of contracts and loss of customers.”
Mr. Kigozi requested support from the European Union to acquire advanced machines, particularly a modern wood-drying machine, to enhance productivity and competitiveness.
Abebe Haile-Gabriel, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, emphasized the importance of sustainable wood-based value chains.
“The challenges we face in Africa, particularly in Uganda, are common to many African countries,” he said. “Today, we’re launching a project to create sustainable wood-based value chains, addressing challenges such as productivity, process improvement, and market access.”
Mr. Haile-Gabriel noted that a viable business generates profits, hires people, and reinvests in expansion, and expressed his encouragement by Uganda’s leadership in promoting sustainable forestry practices.
Ms. Sanne Willems, Team Leader at the European Union to the Republic of Uganda, highlighted the EU’s commitment to sustainable forestry practices. “The EU Forest Partnership is designed to deliver on the European Green Deal priorities and the EU’s development cooperation objectives, including poverty alleviation and human rights,” she said. The partnership aims to address the EU’s international commitments, notably in the context of the REDD+ mechanisms under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Ms. Willems emphasized the need to focus on the entire value chain, beyond just planting trees. “We’ve come to realize that planting trees is just the first step in a long journey. To ensure the sustainability of our efforts, we need to focus on the rest of the value chain, namely the processing of wood.”
The EU’s support will focus on investing in wood processing companies, improving product quality, and increasing export volumes. “It’s time to take our support to the next level by investing in the development of wood processing companies, improving the quality of wood products, and increasing the export volumes of timber,” Ms. Willems noted.
Mr. Alex Kakoza, Permanent Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister, highlighted the government’s goal to restore Uganda’s forest coverage to 1990 levels. “Over the past 20 years, with support from the EU and other partners, we’ve made significant strides in planting trees to restore degraded forests and meet the growing demand for timber,” he said.
“We’ve planted substantial areas, with estimates suggesting 150,000 to 200,000 hectares are now under plantation.” Mr. Kakoza noted that the project’s focus on sustainable supply of timber, capacity building in wood processing, and financing dimension would help address the challenges facing Uganda’s forestry sector.
The project, according to Mr. Kakoza, aims to unlock the potential of Uganda’s commercial forestry sector and contribute to inclusive and sustainable socio-economic transformation.
“We’ve made progress, but there’s room for improvement, particularly in building internal capacity for wood product diversification and providing hands-on training,” he said. By addressing these challenges, Mr. Kakoza believes that the project can help create jobs and stimulate economic growth within the commercial forestry sector.
The launch event marked an important milestone in the project’s implementation, and stakeholders expressed their commitment to working together to promote sustainable forestry practices in Uganda. As the project moves forward, it is expected to have a significant impact on the country’s forestry sector, contributing to the economy and environment.
