Environmental Degradation

Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources such as air, water and soil; the destruction of ecosystems; habitat destruction; the extinction of wildlife; and pollution. It is defined as any change or disturbance to the environment perceived to be deleterious or undesirable.

It is the decline of the productive value of man’s environment.

• The degraded resources in Uganda include water, atmospheric air, soils/land, vegetation and forests, swamps/wetlands, minerals, etc.
• The degradation in Uganda is in form of water pollution, deforestation, mineral exhuastion, soil erosion and exhuastion, swamp reclamation, air pollution, etc.
• It should be noted that by 2001, 4-12 of Uganda’s GDP was lost due to environmental degradation
• By 2004, 10-11% of the biodiversity was lost.

There are different forms of degradation in Uganda and these include the following;

• Pollution of air, water, and land (especially in urban areas like Kampala, Jinja, Mbale etc.)
• Soil exhaustion (especially on plantation farms due monoculture at kasaku tea estates, Lugazi sugar estates etc.)
• Mass wasting/soil erosion (especially in the highland areas like Mtn Elgon, Mtn Rwenzori, Kigezi highlands etc.)
• Deforestation (in Mabira forest, Budongo forest, Bugoma forest etc.)
• Swamp reclamation (in Kampala, Bugiri, and Soroti etc.)
• Over fishing especially in the major water bodies like Lake Victoria, Lake Kyoga, Lake Albert and major swamps etc.)
• Overgrazing (especially in areas where livestock farming is dominant like Moroto, Kotido, Buliisa, Nakasongola etc.)
• Land excavation/mining (especially the open cast method of mining like clay mining, sand mining limestone mining etc.

As indicated by the I=PAT equation, environmental impact (I) or degradation is caused by the combination of an already very large and increasing human population (P), continually increasing economic growth or per capita affluence (A), and the application of resource-depleting and polluting technology (T).

Environmental degradation is one of the ten threats officially cautioned by the High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change of the United Nations. The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction defines environmental degradation as “the reduction of the capacity of the environment to meet social and ecological objectives, and needs”.

Environmental degradation comes in many types. When natural habitats are destroyed or natural resources are depleted, the environment is degraded. Efforts to counteract this problem include environmental protection and environmental resources management.

Uganda is currently experiencing environmental degradation in several areas of the country due to the high-level cutting of trees and overgrazing in different areas of the country.

Environmental degradation comes about due to erosion and decline of the quality of the natural environment. It is caused directly or indirectly by anthropogenic activities that extract various environmental resources at a faster rate than they are replaced and thus depleting them. On this regard, degradation means damage or reduction in quality of environmental features, primarily influenced by human activities. Some natural events such as landslides and earthquakes may also degrade the nature of our environments.

Continued environmental degradation can completely destroy the various aspects of the environment such as biodiversity, ecosystems, natural resources, and habitats. For instance, air pollution can lead to the formation of acid rain which can, in turn, reduce the quality of natural water systems by making them acidic. This is a typical example of environmental degradation. Environmental degradation is, therefore, a concept that touches on a variety of topics namely deforestation, biodiversity loss, desertification, global warming, animal extinction, pollution, and many more.

Map of Uganda showing areas of environmental degradation

CAUSES OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION IN UGANDA

Environmental degradation in Uganda has been a result of both human and physical factors explained below.

1. This is common in areas where livestock farming is predominately practiced. It is basically caused by overstocking of livestock i.e. Keeping high population more than what land can accommodate. This results into loss of plant cover that leaves the land bare thus exposing it to agents of erosion like wind and water run-off thus resulting land exhaustion. This is evident in Nakasongola, Kiruhura and Kotido etc.
2. Poor methods of cultivating land for arable farming, e.g. cultivating down and up the slope, burning of bushes to clear land for gardening, etc. these expose the soil to agents of erosion like water run-off, wind thus leading to loss of soil fertility. This common along the slopes of Mtn Elgon in the districts of Mbale, Manafwa, Sironko and Kigezi highlands in Kisoro and Kabale etc.
3. Deforestation, many forested areas are being destroyed in Uganda due to the high demand for timber and its products but also due to the need to clear to do activities like settlement, farming etc. and this is attributed to high population growth rates of people. After clearing, the land is left bare exposing it to soil erosion but also results into low amounts of rainfall e.g. around Mabira forest in Buikwe, Bugoma forest in Hoima etc.

Deforestation

4. Swamp reclamation, many swamps have been cleared in Uganda for various reasons like settlement, industrialization, infrastructural establishments etc. this has resulted into a number of effects like shortage of surface for domestic and industrial use, destruction of biodiversity hence limiting swamp productivity in the different areas e.g. Bugoloobi, Luzira and Bwaise swamps in Kampala, Awojja swamp in Soroti etc.

5. Bush burning, this commonly practiced in the areas where cattle keeping is common. It is usually done in anticipation of fresh grass at the beginning of the rainy season but results into extinction of some species of grass and of course leads to destruction of biodiversity. This evident in Nakapiripiriti, Moroto, Nakasongola etc.

6. Industrialization, this has resulted into pollution of air through emission of dangerous greenhouse gasses and dust into the atmosphere e.g. cement industries in Tororo and Kasese, pollution of water through dumping of dangerous industrial affluent into water bodies like swamps, rivers and lakes e.g. Uganda breweries dumps it wastes in Luzira wetland, Kaziire health products factory in Mbarara releases water wastes into river Rwizi.

7. Overfishing, this mainly due to the use of unacceptable and illegal methods of fishing e.g. use of poison, use of undersized nets etc. done by selfish fishermen on the different fishing grounds especially Lake Victoria, lake albert, lake Kyoga etc. this has resulted into reduced fish stocks and extinction of some fish species in the fishing grounds.

8. Land fragmentation, this is as a result of high population growth rates that has led to diving of the available land into increasingly small plots belonging to different individual. This has encouraged over cultivation of land which results into loss of soil fertility. This is evident in areas of Kisoro, Mbale, Iganga districts where there is high population densities.

9. Sinking of bore holes/wells, this lowers the water table underground and as a result it inadequate supply of water in the soils thus limiting efficient growth of plants/vegetation and consequently loss of vegetation. This is seen in the districts of Nakasongola, kitgum, etc. where boreholes are common.

10. The inadequate government support in terms of putting policies to protect the environment. The government policies available have not been fully implemented to enforce sustainable use of resources and this has been worsened by the vice of corruption within the government institutions that are meant to protect and monitor the utilization of resources e.g. ministry of lands that has given forested land and wetlands to individuals etc.

11. Urbanization, the growth of towns and cities is associated with big population of people and development of infrastructure like roads, play fields, industries, settlements etc. all these result into poor management of wastes, pollution, congestion that contribute to environmental degradation e.g. in Kampala city, Mbarara city, Jinja city etc.

12. Mining, especially through the methods that require excavation and opening of land to expose the mineral e.g. the open cast method of mining limestone in Tororo and Hima, sand mining it the wetlands of Lwera in Masaka, clay mining in Kajjansi, murrum soil this in most cases lives big pits that render the land barren.

13. Infrastructural construction especially roads, the construction of roads leads to destruction of vegetation, reclamation of swamps, destabilization of the nature of slope which may cause landslides etc. e.g. the northern by pass in Kampala was constructed in busega, namugoona, rubigi, Bwaise, kalerwe swamps, Kampala-Jinja road passes through Mabira forest.

14. Poaching of wildlife, this selfish act has resulted into reduced stocks and extinction of some animal species in national parks and game reserves e.g. there was extinction of the white Rhino in Murchison fall national park.

15. The land tenure system, some form of land ownership like communal ownership of land has encouraged activities like communal grazing that results into overgrazing thus exposing soil to agents of soil erosion that leads to loss of soil fertility e.g. in Kotido, Moroto etc., the “mailo” land ownership has also given rise to land squatters who tend to over exploit the little pieces of land they own e.g. in Wakiso district, Kampala etc.

16. The occurrence of pests and diseases, these destroy plants/vegetation and also animals e.g. locusts, caterpillars that eat every green that they find common in the districts of Amudat, Moroto, Abim, Soroti etc. pests in animals like ticks, tsetse flies also affect the productivity of animals and sometimes leads to their death.

17. Climatic hazards like prolonged rain storms that trigger landslides that leads to destruction of vegetation, animals but also leads to contamination of water sources common in areas of Bududa districts, prolonged droughts that cause death of animals and drying up of vegetation and some surface water sources. This evident in the districts of Kumi, Soroti, Nakasongola, Moroto etc.

18. Natural fire outbreaks, this very common especially with swampy vegetation. The natural fires are occasionally caused by lightening but on a rare occasion by the combustion of dry swampy vegetation in combination with gasses. This leads to destruction of vegetation and the eco-system with the swampy areas. This common in tirinyi swamps in kibuku district.

19. The invasion of water weeds i.e. water hyacinth, when water is covered by the weed the intrusion of oxygen and penetration of light into the water is limited this leads to death of the aquatic life within the waterbody. This common on Lake Victoria and Lake Kyoga.

20. Overstocking of wild animals in the national parks, game reserves, sanctuary etc. this will lead to overgrazing that leaves the land bare and therefore exposed to agents of soil erosion like running water and wind which leads to soil exhaustion. This common in kidepo valley national park in Kaabong, Queen Elizabeth national in Kasese.

THIS VIDEO EXPLAINS WATER POLLUTION ON LAKE VICTORIA

EFFECTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION

1. It leads to soil exhaustion especially where monoculture is practiced e.g. Kasaku tea plantations in Buikwe, Lugazi sugarcane plantation in Buikwe, coffee plantations in mityana, banana plantation in Masaka and Mbarara etc. this has resulted into decline of agricultural productivity in those areas.
2. It results into shortage of wood fuel i.e. fire wood and charcoal for domestic and industrial use. This is caused by the clearing of vegetation for various reasons e.g. in Luwero, Nakasongola, Gulu etc.
3. It has resulted into severe soil erosion caused by over grazing and other poor methods of arable farming, this creates gullies especially in hilly areas thus making such land un productive. This common in Kasese, Bundibugyo etc.
4. It has accelerated mass wasting especially landslides caused by clearing of vegetation and also over cultivation along the mountainous slopes. This has resulted into death of people and destruction of property plus crop fields e.g. in Bududa along the slopes of Mtn Elgon, Kasese and Bundibugyo along the slopes of Mtn Rwenzori.
5. Lowering of the water table caused by clearing of wetlands and sinking of bore holes, this in turn limits plant growth thus causing shortage of food but also results into scarcity of surface water needed for domestic and industrial purposes. This is common in Masindi and kiboga districts.
6. Loss of productive agricultural land. This is as a result of activities like bush burning, overgrazing, quarrying that facilitates soil erosion and consequently soil exhaustion thus leaving the land barren. This evident in sukuru hills in Tororo that have been used for mining, Buliisa due to over grazing etc.
7. Loss of water catchment areas mainly caused by reclaiming of swamps, this in turn has resulted into disappearance of some streams and shallow wells thus causing scarcity of surface water which is vital for domestic and industrial purposes. This is common in swampy areas like Bwaise, Busega, and Bugoloobi in Kampala where swamps have been cleared for settlement.
8. It has caused the contamination of water sources like shallow wells, streams, rivers, lakes etc. this is mainly caused by silting due soil erosion but also due poor waste disposal especially in urban areas. The contaminated water is dangerous for human consumption resulting into diseases like dysentery, cholera that may cause death of people. This is common in Mbarara city, Jinja city etc.
9. Loss of biodiversity i.e. flora and fauna which sometimes change from their original form in the process of trying to adapt to the new environment but in many instances will die and become extinct. This is mainly caused by clearing vegetation. Clearing swamps and overfishing etc. This is evident in Tirinyi and Doho swamps in Kibuku and Butalleja districts respectively.
10. Flooding due to increased siltation, destruction of wetlands and increased water run-off. This flooding has caused death of people and loss of property and it is evident in areas of Kasese, Bwaise, Nateete, Kyambogo etc. in Kampala.
11. It has resulted into desertification where there has been decrease in rainfall amounts received, low humidity and general increase of atmospheric temperatures which is attributed to severe loss of vegetation and clearing of swamps. This is seen in Nakasongola, Rakai Buliisa etc.

MEASURES TO PREVENT ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION IN UGANDA

1. Afforestation and re-afforestation programs are being encouraged to check the problem of deforestation. This has been done by the government through the national forestry authority that supports people interested in planting of trees by giving advice, providing land and seedlings. Examples include lendu forest in Zombo district, Katuugo forest in Nakasongola etc.
2. There has been establishment of institutions responsible for legislative, economic sustainability and regulatory measures of the natural resources e.g. the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA). This has been seen evicting encroachers on forests and swamps e.g. nabajjuzi swamp in Masaka, mountain forest in Mbale etc.
3. Encouraging use of improved and better farming method that promote sustainable use of land e.g. agro-forestry evident with cocoa growing in Bundibugyo, vanilla growing in Mukono, terracing along the slopes of highlands in Kabale.
4. Mass education about the values and measures to protect the environment is being carried out by the government and civil society organisations. This has encouraged people to engage in tree planting and community participation in environmental conservation e.g. around Bwindi impenetrable forest in Kanungu district.
5. Encouraging research in environment management, this has helped to identify the causes and solutions to the problems pertaining environmental degradation. This is evident at higher institutions of learning like Makerere University with courses like Bachelor of Science in environmental management.
6. Proper waste management especially in urban areas like Kampala, Jinja, Mbale etc. such urban centre local authorities are being encouraged to have a proper plan for waste management e.g. Kampala city has got one central place in kiteezi where waste is dumped after cleaning the city every day.
7. Recycling of wastes like plastics and metal that can be recycled, this has been done through encouraging individual local entrepreneurs to invest in the same e.g. the plastic recycling plants in Kampala. These have helped to reduce on negative effects of plastic dumping.
8. There has been enforcing of regulations that require industrial plants to treat their wastes before releasing them back to the environment. This has been done by Uganda breweries in Luzira Kampala and nyanza textiles in Jinja.
9. Developing other sources of energy to try and reduce on the pressure created by a high demand for fuel wood in form of firewood and charcoal. For example encouraging people to use hydro-electricity, gas and use of coffee husks etc. this is common in urban centres like Kampala, Masaka, and Mbarara etc.
10. Population growth control, the population pressure of demand for needs like food, shelter etc. has immensely contributed to environmental degradation therefore there has been efforts to control population growth through sensitization of people about the use of family planning methods e.g. in Jinja, Kabale, Iganga etc.
11. Enforcing regional cooperation especially among the countries that share resources like water bodies e.g. the institute of Lake Victoria environmental management program (LVEMP) was set up by the three East African countries that share Lake Victoria to formulate policies that would guide sustainable use of the lake, kagera basin organisation was also initiated to enforce effective utilisation of lake Victoria etc.