By Alfred Opio
Pallisa, Uganda — Nursery tree growers in Pallisa District are grappling with heavy losses after a prolonged dry spell left thousands of seedlings unsold, disrupting their livelihoods and threatening the local tree planting campaign.
Pallisa is ranked first in the Bukedi sub-region in tree seedling production, with growers raising a wide variety of species including pine, gliricidia, terminalia, cordia, palm trees, avocados, jackfruit, oranges, and other fruit and forestry trees.
However, the persistent dry conditions have discouraged potential buyers, many of whom fear the seedlings may not survive without adequate rainfall to support early growth.
Sarah Abeja, a nursery grower based in Pallisa Town Council, says she is currently stranded with more than 10,000 seedlings and very few customers.
She notes that business has slowed dramatically, with fewer than two customers per week, each purchasing less than 100 seedlings.
“During the rainy season, I would receive more than 50 customers every week, but now the situation has changed drastically,” Abeja said.
She added that the nursery business, which she depends on for her livelihood, is no longer generating enough income to sustain her family.
A similar situation is facing Joel Anapa, a nursery operator in Gogonyo Sub-county, who has over 5,000 seedlings remaining unsold.
Anapa says he sometimes goes an entire week without a single customer and occasionally waits up to two weeks to make just one sale.
“I am struggling to pay water bills for maintaining the seedlings, yet business remains very poor,” he said, expressing hope that demand will pick up once the rains return.
Environmental experts continue to emphasize the importance of tree planting in protecting ecosystems, restoring degraded land, and mitigating the effects of climate change.
Residents have also been urged to avoid indiscriminate tree cutting, warning that deforestation contributes to environmental degradation and prolonged dry spells.
For many nursery growers, however, the immediate concern remains survival as they wait for the rains — and customers — to return.
