Charcoal burning on rise, depleting tree cover and fueling climate change in Kibaale

1 November 2025, 2:35 pm

By William Sunday

Kibaale

Kibaale district natural resource officials have expressed concern over the rise of charcoal burning activities that have depleted tree cover and negatively impacted on climate.

Charcoal remains the major source of fuel cooking for thousands of household families in Uganda especially in urban areas and it’s the main driver of deforestation occurring to meet peoples demand wood fuel.

While talking to our reporter, Romulus Musinguzi the Assistant Forest Officer for Kibaale District raised an alarm over the escalating charcoal burning activities in the district.

Romulus noted that Charcoal is the primary source of fuel for cooking for a significant portion of the population in the urban areas within the district and outside the district and due to high charcoal demand, felling of trees and burning them to produce charcoal has highly increased.

He added that different tree species including fruit trees like Mangos, Jackfruits, Avocadoes among others are being cut for charcoal burning.

He however notes that the district through the Forest Department give out Charcoal burning Licenses to curb illegal Charcoal burning and also guide Charcoal producers on the exact tree species to be cut.

Romulus said that felling trees for charcoal burning has led to depletion of tree cover resulting to climate change.

However, he notes that the district Forest Department together with NGOs have always been distributing indigenous trees for planting in a bid to restore tree cover.