Lango Cultural Institution launches five-year plan to plant one million trees

16 December 2025, 4:58 pm

By Agness Agilo

In a significant step towards environmental conservation, the Lango Cultural Institution has launched a five-year initiative aimed at planting more than one million trees across the Lango sub-region.

To support the success of the project, the Won Nyaci me Lango, His Highness Eng. Dr Moses Michael Odongo Okune, has called on the National Forestry Authority (NFA) to orient clan heads and other community leaders on proper techniques for planting and conserving different tree species. He emphasised that restoring forest cover is critical to reviving Lango’s natural environment, which in the past supported strong agricultural productivity due to favourable climatic conditions.

Odongo Okune also urged clan leaders to sensitise communities to stop cultivating wetlands, warning that such practices disrupt weather patterns and contribute to adverse climate conditions. Instead, he encouraged the adoption of environmentally friendly farming methods that promote sustainability. The cultural leader further tasked the NFA with promoting the planting of shea nut trees, noting that the species has a ready and expanding international market.

The Awitim me Lango, Edwin Odur, said that in partnership with the National Forestry Authority (NFA), Tekwaro me Lango will ensure that every household in the region plants several trees of different species. He noted that the initiative is intended to restore the region’s depleted forest cover, which has contributed to widespread environmental degradation.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for the tree-planting drive, the NFA Sector Manager for the West Lango Sub-region, Girabo John, observed that Lango is among the regions in Uganda experiencing extensive tree cutting, a trend that threatens ecological systems. He urged communities to embrace the initiative as a means of restoring the environment and safeguarding livelihoods.

Meanwhile, the NFA Sector Manager for East Lango, Gracious Aguti, revealed that the project will involve the distribution of a variety of tree species, including eucalyptus, pine and afzelia, among others.

The tree-planting campaign marks a significant collaboration between cultural leadership and environmental authorities in Lango. If fully embraced by communities, the initiative is expected to restore forest cover, strengthen climate resilience, and secure sustainable livelihoods for future generations in the region.