The Carbon Project in Uganda

A lot hangs in the balance. Trees can’t store carbon dioxide forever. They could be cut down in which case the carbon credit would be lost. Under CDM rules, such credits would need to be replaced with credits from other types of clean energy projects — which a poor country like Uganda may not be able to. Keeping the new forests going despite the economic demands of the community and natural disasters will be a challenge.

Also, the minimum timeframe for these projects is 20 years. The credits have to be sold to developed nations with the World Bank acting as a conduit. Credits developed from forests get a lower price than the ones developed through other means. It remains to be seen how successful this plan will be in getting the community its rewards.

In the centre of a small village in Rwoho, people crowd into a tiny yellow room whose walls are covered with photographs, handwritten charts, and a vision statement that reads “Towards a sustainable healthy, and environmental healthy community.” The room, overlooking the plantations, is the headquarters of RECPA, a voluntary environmental organisation formed in 2003. Jerome Byesigwa, chairman of RECPA proudly introduces the project: “You must have planted trees in your land to be a member,” he announces to his guests.

Its mission — plant trees — reflects the community’s concern over the depletion of a resource its members are heavily dependent on. Till the World Bank project came along, the group had been planting trees on their own land.

RECPA has 270 members and the annual subscription is 5,000 Uganda shillings ($2.2) with a one-time initial fee of about 10,000 shillings ($4.4). This money is used for maintaining the plantation; NFA provides free seedlings and land and the group members manage all operations on the 60 hectares they have planted so far. (The World Bank has given NFA an initial grant of $300,000 to upgrade technology.) Those members who choose to be part of the carbon project pay an additional 100,000 shillings for a share, and can own six such shares. These shares also entitle them to carbon credits under the project. The earnings from the credits are yet to come and the projections are modest. They are expected to get about $65 a year per hectare from permissible forest activities and carbon credits combined.

Image: Deepa Krishnan

HOW CARBON FORESTRY WORKS Under the first commitment target of the Kyoto Protocol (2008-2012), only afforestation and reforestation projects are eligible to earn carbon credits. The forests act as carbon sinks, storing the carbon dioxide in the wood and soil, and prevent immediate release. Every tonne of carbon dioxide equals one certified emission reduction (CER) credit. For the Uganda projects, World Bank’s BioCarbon Fund channelises the finances and has the first right to buy most credits.

The community is fully aware of the challenges. The people have not got any carbon money but they have no doubt it’s on its way. “Recently, the accountant of World Bank visited us and promised that the money will come as soon as possible,” Byesigwa says. “We dig deep in our pockets, but it’s for the long-run,” says Amanyire Deo, project co-ordinator, RECPA. The community cannot access forest resources freely for nearly five years after planting.

Yet, the members of RECPA are somewhat lucky. Theirs is a self-motivated initiative that fits in like a piece in a jigsaw puzzle with NFA’s collaborative forestry plans. The carbon projects aim at restoring ‘degraded grasslands’. But the pastoral communities living in the vicinity have no option but to graze their herds on these lands. Since the carbon projects came up in 2006, their access has been severely restricted. Now they can collect firewood only twice a week, or collect herbs, keep bees and so on. Inter-cropping is prohibited. So their expenses are mounting.

Johnson Tiboruhame, a young man at a nearby trading centre, rues that he cannot graze his animals. Not that he’s unhappy with the adjoining RECPA. He simply cannot afford the fees, nominal as it is, to join them.

Realistic Optimism
About 13 percent of Uganda’s landmass is under forest cover, but every year 2.7 percent of these forests disappear. And barely a few thousand of the 3.5 million hectares of forests are under sustainable plantation. Forest conservation is clearly a priority for Uganda.

The community is concerned about deforestation, but restrictions on the forest activities could have serious repercussions. “The pastoral community is hampered, and we hope the children won’t end up malnourished without enough milk,” says RECPA’s Deo, visibly concerned.

“Convincing the community is a challenge. They always look for quick returns,” he adds. So the economic appeal of carbon projects is certainly a lure.