The Voice Of Reason From A Ugandan Farmer

I will not waste my land

 

Andrea Murinda, farmer, Kalangala,

Lake Victoria, Uganda.

 

The Ugandan government, along with

corporate giants Wilmar International

and BIDCO, are developing palm-

oil plantations on pristine islands in

Kalangala, Lake Victoria. Elite land-

owners are constantly looking for land

to sell or lease to the company. 

Everyone’s land or right to land is under

scrutiny.

 

"I am Andrea Murinda and I am 70

years old. I live on my land with my

wife, we have been together for 40

years. This is the same land where

my grandparents, my father and I

were born. I have children and I have

grandchildren and what helps us all is

this land that we live on. We have two-

and-a-half acres, I use it to produce

all our food and make enough money

for the children’s school fees. On this

land of ours, I expect in time to come,

our children will return to live on it, but

if I waste this land, and plant other

crops on it, my land will be spoiled

and my children will not benefit. That

is why I will not plant palm trees here.

Palm takes too long to grow and has

expanding roots...Where will the next

generation grow food if the land is

spoiled? That is why I want this land

not to have palm growing...just 

cassava, potatoes, egg plants and 

greens. All short period crops that 

do not affect land fertility.

The palm does not bring soil fertility,

the palm will cost us money now 

and once that matures we

will have no way of making money.

This land has helped me, I have lived

here for 70 years and my forefathers

for over 200 years. This is our home,

our graveyards are here. I am here

with my wife and our grandchildren.

If we spoil the land, where shall we

grow food? If we plant palms, in the

future my grandchildren will not be

able to grow food."

 

Full video at http://www.foei.org/en/media/

resources-for-journalists/uganda-oil-palm-

plantations/videos#more

 

from here