Uganda: Penge for at plante træer

Trees process huge amounts of carbon dioxide because of their size and extensive root systems making them efficient carbon sinks.

Under the Payment for Ecosystem Scheme, a farmer who plants one hectare of mahogany, prunas africana (stedsegrønt træ med hårdt ved; benyttes til mange medicinske formål) or maesopsis local tree species (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV_Eb-MIvpw) will on average earn 700 US dollar a year (a huge amount in Uganda), said Annet Ssempala.

She is a program-me officer with the Environmental Conservation Trust (Ecotrust).

Ecotrust’s donors include the US Agency for International Development (USAID = Amerikas Danida) and the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF).

“That is on average per hectare but other farmers are earning more than that,” said Ssempala.

An assessment of the size of land a farmer has under trees, the type/species of trees planted, the vegetation cover of the trees and the maturity period, helps to determine the amount of money each farmer will earn.

The farmers are paid in five instalments over a 10-year period receiving 30 percent of the payment in the first pay-out and 20 percent in the second, third and fifth pay-outs, respectively. A 10 percent payment is made at the fourth pay-out.

Through this carbon credit fund, annually the farmers are collectively earning about 500.000 dollar and obtaining certificates of engagement that are enabling them to access credit, according to Ecotrust.

Benon Bushoborozi of the Kiyanga tree planting group told IRIN he has been able to obtain a 500.000 Ugandan shillings (200 dollr) loan to finance his farming activities.

“The money helped me start my vegetable project last year and I was able to pay back the money after selling my vegetables,” he said.

Deforestation