By KT Reporter
Efforts to support government initiatives against the depletion of natural tree species in West Nile have gained momentum with the launch of the Shea Nut and Natural Oils Conservation Tournament in Midigo Town Council, Yumbe District. The four-day event, now in its fourth edition, will run from December 15 to 19, 2025, featuring 15 teams. This year, netball has been introduced for women, and refugee teams from Bidibidi Settlement are joining the competition.
Organizers say the tournament aims to expand awareness about shea nut tree conservation, in line with Presidential Executive Order No. 3, which prohibits the destruction of natural tree species for wood fuel and charcoal production. Shea trees, prized for their nutritional and ecological benefits—including shea butter, oils, medicinal extracts, and sunblock products—have faced severe depletion along the Nile river belt in West Nile due to charcoal burning, wood fuel harvesting, and deliberate felling by communities.
Since its launch in 2022, Shea Nut and Natural Oils Conservation Ltd, a local organization, has produced and distributed over 250,000 shea nut tree seedlings to communities. The company plans to distribute one million seedlings over the next decade to restore and multiply shea nut trees across Northern Uganda.
Addressing journalists on Sunday, Imran Ijotre, Co-founder and CEO of Shea Nut and Natural Oils Conservation Ltd, said the initiative supports government efforts to implement the Executive Order by sensitizing communities to protect shea trees.
Ijotre noted that local communities are increasingly embracing the initiative and urged them to intensify their efforts, which, he said, will also boost household income and food security.
Meanwhile, Osman Miraj, chairperson of the Shea Tournament, said the first three editions of the event have played a crucial role in reducing the destruction of shea trees across the region by spreading strong conservation messages.
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