PRIVATE FAMERS TURN BARIFA FOREST RESERVE INTO FARM LAND:
A section of residents in Arua city have raised mix reactions over the rampant growing of food crops in Arua central forest reserve commonly known as Barifa forest by the licensed private tree farmers of the forest reserve. it is believed that the National Forest Authority through its legal mandate had licensed and issues out some parts of the forest to some individuals for tree farming. However, Speaking to Daily west Nile news reporter on Tuesday 27th/09/2022, the executive director of Arua academy secondary school who also doubles as one of the licensed private tree famers in the forest reserve, Dickson Adomati revealed that according to the terms and conditions of the license that was given to them by the national forestry authority indicates that they are not allow to grow food crops in the forest but only plant trees for their personal use.
‘’Some of the people who are planting food crops in Arua central forest reserve] Barifa] has got no land in the city that is why they encroaching in the forest ’ ’says Dickson Adomati."
Adomati Dickson Speaking to Dailywestnile
Kamure Titia one of the residents in Arua city supported some of the private licensed tree farmers who are farming food crops in the forest reserve by saying that growing food crops under the forests in okay for the proper maintainers of the place.
Kamure Titia Speaking to Dailywestnile
While speaking to One of the licensed tree farmers’ manager identified as, Mahmoud Okong who at the moment is growing food crops in Barifa forest reserve says that the aims of them growing food crops in the forest is to protect it from bush burning.
Okong Speaking to Dailywestnile
The local council one chairperson of Songaloya cell, Awindiri ward in Arua central division, Abdu Mansur appealed to the city council authority of Arua to speed up the process of degazeting the forest reserve to reduce even the rate of criminal activities like stealing killing among others that is rampant in the area.
LC I Speaking to Dailywestnile
However, The range manager of National forest reserve, Milton Nyeko says that they are planning to withdraw the license of all the private licensed tree farmers that are growing food crops in the forest reserve, in an interaction with Daily west Nile news reporter on Tuesday at Mvaradri he explained that this kind of act is a breach of contract of the license. In February 2020 the then Arua municipal council approved the process of degazetting Arua central forest commonly known as Barifa. This comes after the ministry of water and environment in November 2019 asked the municipal council to restart the processes and submit a report in two months.
Similar the council meeting to allow the degazzettement of the forest reserve was held in 2014 but process dragged the council awaited parliament’s approval only for ministry to put conditions 2019 for process to continue, Among other conditions to be carry by council are; A land valuation for both the forest alternative of 256-hectare of land as a replacement, other conditions include carrying out adequate consultations with communities around forest reserve and the exchange land carrying out an intensive environment impact assessment for both the forest and an alternative land.
STORY BY: ANWANGKANI FRANCO - DAILY WEST NILE
