By KT Reporter
Moroto district is to collaborate to lease part of the district’s land for carbon trading.
The district on Thursday signed a memorandum with East African Carbon Company to protect it from the adverse effects of climate change, create food security, and generate income for families on their own land.
East African Carbon Company (EACC) has a partnership with the Ministry of Water and Environment to deliver nature-based carbon projects under a public–private model.
The district will lease land to East African Carbon Company for 30 years. A percentage of the gross carbon credit revenue will be distributed by the community and the investor. The investor will provide social corporate responsibility facilities, including wells, schools, healthcare, and sports initiatives.
Naveeb Tariq, the Chief Investment Officer at East African Carbon Company, said that an assessment will be conducted on sustainable agriculture.
Tariq reasoned that Moroto district was chosen because it has a contract with the government to protect the forest, and Moroto already has a forest which they intend to protect.
He said that forest protection can only be achieved by working with the community to create livelihoods and reduce dependence on the forest. T
Tariq said that they are exploring different partnership models, including sharing the benefits of the produce they will generate with the community.
Tariq urged communities to form cooperatives so that they can invest and produce on a large scale.
Justine Samuel Tuko, the Moroto acting Resident District Commissioner, said that the project will help improve agricultural production.
Tuko urged the communities to venture into commercial agriculture in terms of acreage so that they can boost the economy and fight household poverty.
Mark Sire, the chairperson of the Land Board in Loputuk sub-county, urged the investor to establish social corporate responsibility in the community where the project will be implemented.
Sire said that the investor should provide solutions for capturing rainwater that would otherwise flow away due to the slopes.
John Robert Adupa doubted there was land to offer to the investors. He said Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) occupies a large part of the sub-county.
East African Carbon Company works in Uganda’s most critical conservation areas—national parks, forest reserves, wildlife reserves, wetlands, and community wildlife management areas.
Adupa noted that the project is introducing new crops like oil crops, fruit trees, and other cereals that have never been grown in the region. He promised to rally the community to embrace the project, which seems to be a solution to poverty.
Joseph Otita, the LC3 chairperson of Rupa sub-county, said that crop production in the region has been poor due to water challenges and inadequate resources.
Paul Oloo Balamoe, a farmer in Nadunget sub-county, urged the implementers to conduct a visibility study to determine which crops would work best for the particular soil type.
He is optimistic that the project will address the biting food insecurity in the region, which has plagued households for decades.
Balamoe noted that the project will also help to fight poverty at the household level by generating income. He pledged to coordinate with the project partners to identify potential hazards that may hinder the project’s growth.
Cosmas Ayepa, the Moroto district secretary for social services, noted that the community has a lot of fertile soil that is not being utilized for crop production. He said sub-counties such as Katikekile, Tapac, and Loputuk are located in the green belt, making them suitable for maize production.
Ayepa said that the arrival of the project is timely and will greatly contribute to eradicating hunger in the district. He urged local leaders to support the project, stating that it is an opportunity to benefit from farming investments.
David Koryang, the LC5 chairperson of Moroto district, challenged the partners to localize their content to suit the community. Koryang explained that there is a need for the partners to utilize the local community for better results.
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