For over a decade, Akuzimbire Samuel has faced a persistent challenge on his farm. In Kibengeya Parish, Kapaapi Sub-county in Hoima District, termites have repeatedly destroyed his crops from maize to eucalyptus trees, undermining his efforts and income.
But this season tells a different story.
With the April rains setting in, Akuzimbire is taking a bold step. As a parish farmer coordinator, he is leading by example by transforming his land into a commercial woodlot. He has planted over 400 pine trees; a species he believes is more resilient to termite attacks and better suited for long-term investment.
This transition is supported by the Investing in Forests and Protected Areas for Climate-Smart Woodlots (IFPA-CD) programme. The initiative, implemented by the Government of Uganda in partnership with the National Environment Management Authority and the World Bank, promotes commercial forestry while reducing pressure on natural forests.
A key partner in this effort is ECOTRUST, working alongside Green Life International (GLI) and NIRAS International Consulting Uganda. ECOTRUST provides farmers with technical guidance to ensure their woodlots are successfully established and managed in a sustainable way.
To protect the young trees during their most vulnerable stage, technical teams treated the soil to control termites. This intervention helps reduce early losses and gives seedlings a better chance to grow strong roots, an important step in building climate-resilient woodlots.
For Akuzimbire, tree planting is more than just farming; it is a family investment. He made the decision together with his wife and family, ensuring everyone is committed to maintaining the woodlot.
“In my family, we work as a team, and we reached this decision through mutual understanding with my wife and I as the leaders of the family. It is important because they will be involved in taking care of the trees to maturity. Even when I am not around, the trees will survive because my family members understand their value,” he says.
The benefits are both short-term and long-term. As the trees grow, pruning will provide firewood for home use. In the future, the mature pine trees will be sold as timber, generating income to support his family and invest in other businesses.
“We specifically selected the pine trees because they provide timber. When they mature, I will be in position to sell this timber and get money to invest in other businesses but also take care of my family. Even before that, when we prune the trees as they grow, we will be able to obtain firewood to use at home,” Akuzimbire says.
The strategic location of Akuzimbire’s farm situated just two meters from a government forest reserve makes his success a win for regional conservation. By growing his own trees, the temptation to encroach on protected forests is eliminated.
“With my own woodlot, I don’t need to go to the reserves for firewood. As the forest coordinator for my region, I will work hard to ensure there is no encroachment in the reserve,” he pledges.
Through partnerships with ECOTRUST, NIRAS International Consulting Uganda, Havilah Company Limited and Green Life International, the IFPA programme continues to empower farmers across Uganda. By providing farmers with technical expertise, land measurement services, and pest control solutions needed to succeed, the project is turning vulnerable boundary lands into profitable, climate-smart investment for rural Ugandans.
This is the future ECOTRUST is championing, where communities are not just protecting forests, but also benefiting from them.
