Agago loses over 42,000 shea trees in 18 months

26 December 2025, 4:14 pm

By Daniel Odong

Nearly 100 shea nut trees are being felled across Agago District, raising concern among cultural and forestry leaders over the rapid destruction of one of northern Uganda’s most valuable and endangered tree species.

Rwot Kasemiro Ongom, the Rwot of P’tongo, stated that all 26 sub-counties in the district are home to shea nut trees, but escalating demand for charcoal has led to widespread and indiscriminate felling, including of immature trees.

“People no longer respect the presidential directives prohibiting the cutting of trees, particularly endangered species such as the shea,” Rwot Kasemiro told LUO F.M. in a telephone interview.

He attributed the problem to weak enforcement by security authorities, particularly Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), who oversee security operations in the district. He expressed concern that box-body trucks transporting charcoal continue to use district roads daily despite the presence of roadblocks.

His concerns come amid ongoing operations to curb illegal tree cutting in the district. Several suspects, including local leaders, have been arrested and remanded to court over the destruction of shea nut trees.

The Agago District Forest Officer, Mr John Okidi, warned that shea nut trees take decades to mature and begin bearing fruit, making them particularly vulnerable to extinction if current trends continue.

“If this cutting persists, we risk wiping out the shea nut tree from our land,” Mr Okidi said, emphasising that conservation is a collective responsibility that requires active participation from communities.

He urged residents across the Acholi Sub-region to refrain from illegal tree cutting and to report offenders to local authorities and the police for action.

Mr Okidi noted that while district and cultural leaders have intensified community sensitisation, some individuals have ignored the warnings and should be dealt with in accordance with the law.

He further urged communities to take tree planting seriously as a means of conserving the environment and mitigating the effects of climate change, which have increasingly manifested through excessive rainfall, floods, and prolonged droughts.

According to a mini-survey conducted by cultural leaders, at least 42,100 shea nut trees were destroyed in Agago District between 2023 and mid-2025.