HOIMA — After more than a decade of repeated crop losses caused by termite infestations, a farmer in Kibengeya Parish, Kapaapi Sub-county in Hoima District is turning adversity into opportunity through a shift into commercial forestry.
For years, Akuzimbire Samuel says termites destroyed key crops on his farm, including maize and eucalyptus trees, steadily eroding his yields and income. But this planting season, he has taken a decisive new direction.
“This season tells a different story,” he says.
From Crop Losses to Commercial Forestry
With the April rains underway, Akuzimbire—who also serves as a parish farmer coordinator—has converted part of his land into a commercial woodlot, planting more than 400 pine trees, which he says are better suited to withstand termite attacks and provide long-term returns.
“In my family, we work as a team,” he says. “We reached this decision through mutual understanding with my wife. It is important because they will be involved in taking care of the trees from maturity.”
He adds: “Even when I am not around, the trees will survive because my family members understand their value.”
Backed by Climate-Smart Forestry Programme
The initiative is supported under the Investing in Forests and Protected Areas for Climate-Smart Woodlots (IFPA-CD) programme, implemented by the Government of Uganda in partnership with the National Environment Management Authority and the World Bank.
The programme promotes commercial forestry while easing pressure on natural forests, particularly in high-risk areas adjacent to protected reserves.
Technical support is being provided by the Environmental Conservation Trust of Uganda (ECOTRUST), in collaboration with Green Life International (GLI) and NIRAS International Consulting Uganda.
Soil Treatment to Protect Young Trees
To improve survival rates, technical teams applied soil treatments to control termite activity before and after planting. According to project implementers, the intervention is critical in reducing early seedling losses and ensuring stronger root development.
“This helps reduce early losses and gives seedlings a better chance to grow strong roots,” a technical officer involved in the programme explained, noting that early-stage protection is key to establishing viable woodlots.
Farming for Firewood Today, Timber Tomorrow
For Akuzimbire, the pine plantation represents both immediate household benefits and long-term financial security.
“We specifically selected pine trees because they provide timber,” he says. “When they mature, I will be able to sell the timber and get money to invest in other businesses and take care of my family.”
He adds that even before maturity, the trees will provide practical household benefits: “When we prune the trees as they grow, we will obtain firewood for home use.”
Conservation Benefits Near Protected Forests
Akuzimbire’s farm lies just two metres from a government forest reserve, a location that makes his shift to woodlot farming significant for conservation efforts in the area.
“With my own woodlot, I don’t need to go to the reserves for firewood,” he says. “As the forest coordinator for my region, I will work hard to ensure there is no encroachment in the reserve.”
Scaling Climate-Smart Forestry
Through partnerships involving ECOTRUST, NIRAS International Consulting Uganda, Havilah Company Limited, and Green Life International, the IFPA programme is supporting farmers across Uganda with technical guidance, land assessment, and pest management solutions.
Project implementers say the goal is to transform vulnerable boundary lands into productive, climate-resilient investments while simultaneously restoring pressure on protected ecosystems.
“This is the future we are championing,” one programme partner noted, “where communities are not just protecting forests, but also benefiting from them.”