REPORT: Uganda’s Wetlands face Depletion by 2040

Uganda’s wetlands coverage could be depleted by 2040 if concerted efforts to mitigate degradation of wetlands is not accelerated.

According to a report by the Ministry of Water and Environment, Uganda will be left with only 1.6% of wetlands cover by 2040 if the destruction trend is not reversed by the deliberate and dedicated restoration programs countrywide.

Statistics show that countrywide wetland coverage has dropped from 37,346.3 Sq.Km in 1994 (15.5%) to 21,526.3 Sq.Km (8.9%) of the total national surface area. In 1994, the wetland coverage was 15.5% of Uganda's land cover, but by 2016, wetland coverage had reduced to only 8.9% and it is projected to be only 8.4% by 2019.

“The rate of loss and degradation of wetlands is accelerating in all regions of the country and not matching up with wetland restoration targets and resources,” reads the report signed by Beatrice Anywar, State minister for Environment.

The report shows that Eastern Uganda is the most degraded at 46% while Northern Uganda registered the lowest degraded area of 21%. Degradation levels in the central and western regions stand at 29% and 28% respectively.

According to the report that will soon be tabled on the floor of Parliament for debate, wetland degradation has been majorly due to expansion of subsistence agriculture, industrial developments and settlements. In terms of district, Mbale district has the most degraded wetlands in Uganda with 99% of its wetlands under threat while Ntoroko has the lowest with most of its intact wetland at 98%.

As one of the measure to address the problem of wetland degradation, cabinet has approved the cancellation of land titles issued in wetlands on public land acquired unlawfully after 1995. Consequently, a total of 298 titles have so far been cancelled by the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, in wetland in Wakiso, Kampala and Mukono.

According to Minister Anywar, the Ministry of Water and Environment is reviewing the National Wetland Policy and developing a Wetland Resource Bill in order to address the challenges and issues of wetland management.

The Ministry has also started implementing 50 Community based wetlands livelihood enhancement investment plans targeting installation of 50 mini-solar powered irrigation equipment and reservoirs as well as the implementation of 120 assorted livelihood income generation enterprises to benefit 50,500 households bordering the wetlands.