Following a video that circulated on various social media platforms showing construction works at the off-shore side of the Entebbe Botanical Gardens, the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) has dismissed allegations that the said piece of land was auctioned.
In a statement released Friday, Dr Ambrose Agona the Director General, NARO said the Organisation appreciates the public’s concern about the security of the Botanic Gardens, which is a repository of Uganda’s genetic diversity and a Strategic National Genetic Resources Conservation Facility.
He said the Gardens hold significant historical value and are a national treasure. He said the place is also a home to the National Seed Gene Bank, where complementarily 5000 seed specimens of different plants are conserved.
Agona said established in 1898 as the first agricultural research unit in Uganda, the Gardens together with the Uganda National Genebank constitute the Plant Genetic Resources Centre (PGRC) of NARO, the only Center that conserves Uganda’s plant diversity, much of which has disappeared either in the natural ecosystems or in the farming systems.
He said the gardens are also a conservation place that holds over 500 live plant species.
“The centralized collection of these plant resources is core to supporting our socio-economic transformation. Collectively, the Entebbe Botanic Gardens has four core functions: (i) conservation of the plant resources; (ii) undertaking research on the plant resources to generate knowledge that informs the country’s economic transformation efforts;
(iii) Education and awareness for the public about the importance of the plant resources in providing livelihood needs and ecosystem services; and (iv) providing a serene environment for the public to rejuvenate their bodies and souls,” Agona said.
He raised much as the NARO management has over years fought issues of land grabbing in the gardens, the latest allegations are not true.
“The land is safe and has not been sold to anyone. It is still a property of the Government of Uganda,” Agona explained that rehabilitation is ongoing to improve and provide eco-friendly facilities to visitors who come to tour and experience the gardens, as well as their capacity to deliver the aforementioned core functions.
He said government saw it necessary to improve the required social amenities and also optimize the eco-tourism potential of the gardens.
“The targeted social amenities include: (1) improved availability of piped water; (ii) washrooms; (iii) road infrastructure; and (iv) safety and security, bearing in mind that the Gardens share a 1.5- kilometer borderline with Lake Victoria,” Agona stated further.
He however, commended the public for their continued vigilance in ensuring that this historic place is jealously protected and secured given its place in the conservation of all our plant resources.
“We commend the spirit of patriotism and stewardship regarding this strategic national asset. For more information, please contact the Public Relations Office at 0772-367539,” he added.