The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the
National Forest Authority (NFA) has launched the Uganda Natural Resource Information System (NARIS)
designed to monitor and mediate deforestation throughout Uganda and protect the country’s forests and
biodiversity.
The real-time data mapping system will be able to monitor changes in forest cover, track the impact of initiatives relating to deforestation, and provide a data source
for future initiatives.
The system has been developed in partnership between UNDP and NFA, with the partners mutually
recognizing a gap in recent data to track rates of deforestation and concluding that enabling access to
real-time data would drive action from key stakeholders and generate a more coordinated approach to
natural resource management in Uganda.
“The Uganda Natural Resource Information System (NARIS) is very timely as it will not only help our field
team to get real-time data on the state of forests, but it can also be used to monitor other parameters
like people movements and their activities” said the National Forestry Authority Executive Director Mr Tom Okello.
According to the Ministry of Water and Environment, Uganda’s forest cover has reduced from 24% in 1990
to 12.4% in 2017. If deforestation continues at the present rate, Uganda risks losing its forests by the year
2033.
“Uganda’s environmental, economic and social wellbeing are tightly bound to the benefits that healthy
forests provide,” said UNDP Resident Representative Ms. Elsie Attafuah. “Deforestation has the potential
to threaten this fine balance through exacerbating climate change and reducing biodiversity, and if
deforestation is not addressed the impacts have potential to stall or even reverse Uganda’s development
trajectory.” she added.
