NFA launches Digital Application for monitoring Forests

Masindi: The National Forestry Authority (NFA) has launched the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting (SMART) Application for monitoring forestry activities.

The launch took place on Thursday, July 11, 2024, in Budongo Forest, and later they conducted training on how to use the digital application at Kolping Hotel Masindi.

The Training was attended by over 100 members from the departments of Communications, Natural Forests, Human Resource, Information Technology and Ranges.

Tom Rukundo, the Director of Natural Forest Resource Management at NFA, urged members to work closely while using this tool for effective information sharing.

While addressing journalists shortly after the launch, James Mununa, the Coordinator Law Enforcement and Governance at NFA, said that the digital application will help in monitoring both legal and illegal activities in the forest reserves and also housing evidence in courts of law by obtaining geo-referenced photos, which can be presented in the courts of law.

Additionally, Mununa disclosed that the Tool enables them to monitor trends of illegal activities, where they are happening, and helps them to respond and to make strategic deployments.

‘’One of the stand-out features of SMART is the ability to provide irrefutable evidence in courts of law. SMART offers geo-referenced photos and detailed information about suspects such as their names, all collected while still at the scene.’’

He says this functionality not only strengthens legal proceedings, but also acts as a deterrent to those considering illegal activities.

Boaz Besigirenda, the Range Manager Budongo Range System under the NFA, said that the SMART-Technology will help him to manage the range, since they manage many forest reserves, stressing that it can’t be efficiently monitored with the staff they have and other stakeholders.

He noted that SMART is increasing the effectiveness of monitoring, finding out where they have challenges and how to manage them, adding that it will be first applied in Kagombe Forest Reserve.

Besigirenda clarified that the digital application can be installed in any smart phone or computer, captured information and shared in areas with Internet, noting that the same information is received at the Centre, Range and NFA Headquarters in Kampala.

‘’In West Nile and Southwestern Regions the Forest has been under constant threat from illegal logging and encroachment. With smart these regions are now better monitored and allowing further actions against the offenders and better protection of biodiversity.’’

Aldon Walukamba, Communications and Public Relations Manager at the NFA, says that the tool has come at a right time and will help a lot in producing results and relaying data that they can use to monitor, manage and develop the central forests on behalf of the government.

‘’With digitisation of forestry operations, NFA will have real-time evidence and data to update its partners and clients, easing communications about 506 central forest reserves in Uganda,’’ he stated.

Philip Kihumuro, the Forest Restoration Project Manager at World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Uganda, said they are focused on being courageous and taking on innovative approaches like the use of technology for effective resource management such as the use of SMART, to reduce the illegalities and be able to address the challenge for effective forest management.

He also noted that the focus is for people and nature, to ensure that the resources are continuously available to benefit them, but also that nature is sustainably managed.

The Integration of SMART in the NFAs operation is a collective effort supported by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the World Wide Fund (WWF). This Partnership ensures that human and technological resources are maximised to enhance the Management and Development of Central Forest Reserves in Uganda.

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