Kampala, Uganda: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is set to roll out a youth-led tree planting initiative in selected districts across Uganda, with support from major cultural institutions including Bugisu, Buganda, and Acholi.
Steven Masiga, spokesperson of the Bamasaaba Cultural Institution, revealed during a broadcast on Radio Uganda and UBC TV that UNDP has approached their institution to mobilize youth participation and facilitate land allocation for the tree-growing programme.
“The UNDP team in Uganda has engaged us to support youth involvement in environmental restoration by providing land for tree planting,” Masiga said. “I will present this request to our cultural superiors for official guidance.”
According to Masiga, most young people in Uganda are not engaged in long-term environmental or economic fallback programs such as afforestation. As a result, many grow old without sustainable livelihoods.
The tree planting initiative, currently in advanced planning stages, was discussed during a recent high-level meeting in Kampala involving UNDP leadership, cultural institutions, and various government agencies.
The meeting brought together representatives from the Bamasaaba Cultural Institution, Buganda Kingdom, and Acholi Cultural Institution, alongside officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, National Forestry Authority (NFA), and youth advocacy groups.
UNDP emphasized that the project will empower youth with skills in environmental stewardship and climate adaptation, while contributing to Uganda’s national forest restoration targets under Vision 2040 and the National Development Plan.
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