Mustafa Gerima, affectionately known as "Mr Shea," is on a mission to save the shea nut trees of Uganda, cherished for producing what has been termed "women's gold" or shea butter. This former biology teacher turned environmentalist is particularly concerned with the alarming rate at which local communities have resorted to cutting down these vital trees, primarily for charcoal production, which they find more lucrative than harvesting shea nuts.
Having returned to his homeland six years ago, Gerima's dedication to environmental advocacy was galvanized when he observed the significant degradation of the Mount Kei Central Forest Reserve, once vibrant with shea trees now marred by stumps. As the climate crisis exacerbates challenges in agriculture, local farmers are abandoning shea nut cultivation, opting instead for short-term gains from charcoal.
"The shea nut tree once followed a predictable production cycle... but climate change has introduced prolonged droughts, negatively impacting nut production," he shared. Uganda is losing approximately 100,000 hectares (around 250,000 acres) of forest annually, significantly comprising critical shea habitats.
The intertwining narratives of environmental degradation and poverty have driven people like Mariam Chandiru, a local shea butter producer, to despair as the availability of shea nuts dwindles. “I used to sell five jerry cans of shea oil weekly, but now it's down to two,” she lamented.
Professor John Bosco Okullo, an agroforestry expert, highlights historical conflict—particularly during the reign of the Lord's Resistance Army—as an additional factor behind the neglect of these indigenous trees. "After years of displacement, the sense of ownership over the land and its resources was lost," he noted. With fewer people protecting the trees, the practice of charcoal burning has surged, leading to widespread deforestation.
Climate change has disrupted the natural flowering cycles of shea trees, further threatening the ecosystem. Increasing urbanization only accelerates the pace of tree loss as development projects replace entire swaths of shea forest. Experts are now calling for focused replanting efforts to combat this decline.
Despite these mounting challenges, hope persists through the initiatives led by Gerima and supportive NGOs. His noteworthy 19-day trek from Kampala to Nairobi aimed to raise awareness for these trees, and now he focuses on grassroots efforts such as tree-planting drives and collaborations with schools to integrate conservation into curricula.
In 2023, the Ugandan government criminalized the harvesting of shea trees for charcoal, though implementation of these laws has been inconsistent. “We must also provide affordable energy alternatives to urban consumers,” urges Professor Okullo.
Gerima views this cause as a shared responsibility, aiming to inspire collective action. “This must not just be my issue but one for all of us,” he articulated, anticipating a future where children won't find only stumps in place of thriving shea trees. His ongoing advocacy signifies a crucial intersection of environmental preservation and community welfare in Uganda.
