By
Abalo Irene Otto
The chairman LC1 of Pece Pawel Pudyak in Pece Division has decried the manner in which the community around the swamp are reclaiming it for cultivation.
John Okwonga told Radio Rupiny that the farmers have encroached on the swamp to an extent that one can walk on bear land across about 100meter stretch within the swamp.
He says as local leaders they are concerned about how the district environment office is not regulating the farming activities along the swamp that conserves the environment and is a source of income to those who make papyrus mats to earn a living.
John Okwonga called for the district environment office to intervene and save the situation since the farmers think he is just jealous of their activities whenever he talks to them.
Agness Angee, one of the papyrus mat makers told our reporter that the swamp is drying up and the farmers are digging the roots of the papyrus to prevent it from growing again.
She worries that if the trend continues, she may not be able to get papyrus to make mas that can earn her a living in her family by next year.
She adds that the swamp may be totally reclaimed if division and municipal authorities do not save it from reclamation for farming.
Michael Opira, a resident of Pece Pawel says that the only well nearest to them is drying up as the swamp is being reclaimed. He says the water level keeps reducing and the area is warmer than it used to be due to agricultural activities in the swamp.
He says the district should not think that it is only forest depletion for charcoal that can cause desertification, but swamp reclamation too.
When Radio Rupiny visited Pece Swamp, the area is green is vegetables like cabbages, tomatoes, others were sugar canes, sweet potatoes, banana plantations among others.
Solution Journalism - Uganda 