On a sunny Tuesday afternoon, Crispus Adula dug into the soil with a hand hoe in Teyao Village, Alwala Parish, Ogur Sub-county in Lira District. Behind him, his aunt, Betty Akello, followed slowly, planting maize seeds in a garden the family had spent months fighting to reclaim.

By the Witness Radio team.

After more than two weeks in detention, six young activists challenging Uganda’s oil projects have secured cash bail, facing unlawful assembly charges.

All six belong to the Rooted in Resistance movement. On Thursday, September 17, they appeared before the LDC Magistrate’s Court in Kampala, where the court granted each cash bail of Shs300,000.

The activists granted bail are Isaac Mukiibi, Alphat Mawanda, Nicholas Mugezi, Innocent Opio, John Friday and Ronald Onyango.

Rooted in Resistance, formerly known as Students Against EACOP, has emerged as a steadfast force challenging the spread of fossil fuels in Uganda.

The activists were held in Luzira Maximum Security Prison after being arrested during demonstrations in Kampala against Uganda’s ongoing fossil fuel projects.

The activists were charged with unlawful assembly under the Penal Code Act.

Section 65(1) of the Act defines an unlawful assembly as a gathering of three or more people who intend to commit an offense, behave in a way that creates reasonable fear, or gather without a legitimate reason in circumstances likely to provoke others to breach the peace.

Under Section 66, taking part in an unlawful assembly is a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison.

On August 31, 2026, police arrested the six during Kampala demonstrations, as Rooted in Resistance rallied against Uganda’s oil development.

Determined to be heard, the activists tried to deliver petitions to Parliament and TotalEnergies offices in Kampala, urging closer examination of oil projects and rejecting further fossil fuel investment.

During the demonstrations, police detained a total of 16 activists.

Police arrested ten at Parliament and charged them with public nuisance, while arresting six more at RR Pearl Tower One on Yusuf Lule Road, where TotalEnergies’ offices are located.

The six soon appeared before the LDC Magistrate’s Court, where they were remanded to Luzira Prison.

The activists say their resistance stems from concerns about the environmental and social fallout of oil development, especially its impact on communities, livelihoods, and the natural world.

They are urging a shift toward investing in renewable energy, rather than pouring more resources into fossil fuel infrastructure.

After the court granted bail, Rooted in Resistance celebrated the release of its members but condemned what it sees as ongoing attempts to silence their movement through arrests and charges.

“We will never be intimidated by the continued trumped-up charges and the brutal arrests being subjected to us,” the group said in a statement following the release on its X handle.

The group pledged to keep rallying for an oil-free economy and what it calls true economic freedom.

By the Witness Radio team.

Between 638 million and 720 million people experienced hunger in 2024, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)’s State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report 2025.

These staggering numbers underscore the relentless challenge of global food insecurity as nations race to transform food systems into models of productivity, nutrition, and resilience.

As nations search for answers to hunger and malnutrition, a new report reveals that forests and the bounty they provide—food, income, and vital ecosystem services—are often left out of the global conversation on food security and resilience.

Titled Forests for Food: Nourishing People, Sustaining the Planet, the report produced by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and its partners examines the different ways forests and trees contribute to food security and nutrition.

The report spotlights forest foods, describing them as some of the most overlooked and least understood elements within our food systems.

The report says more than 50,000 wild species found in forests are used for food and medicine, including at least 10,000 species used directly as food.

This hidden menu features fruits, nuts, tubers, mushrooms, edible insects, and wild meat.

For communities nestled in and around forests, these foods not only supplement traditional farming and fishing but also deliver essential proteins, vitamins, and minerals.

“Forest plants and animals are rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals, all important components of healthy diets.” The report reads in part.

Yet forests offer more than just food. The report notes that forest products and services create jobs and income for millions, empowering families to meet their nutritional needs and sustain their livelihoods.

In some regions, forests account for up to 20 percent of rural incomes, opening doors to healthier, more varied diets—especially for the most vulnerable households.

For families cut off from markets or traditional farming, income from forest products can be a lifeline, helping them buy food and essentials. Forest foods also offer a vital nutritional boost.

The report argues that food security should not be understood simply as producing enough food.

It defines food security as the availability, accessibility, and affordability of sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets people’s dietary needs for an active and healthy life.

Securing lasting food security and nutrition goes far beyond simply producing enough food.

Social, economic, and cultural forces shape every step of food production, distribution, and consumption. The vitality of natural systems underpins the strength and resilience of our food supply.

Forests and trees do more than feed and employ us—they also nurture agriculture itself through a host of ecosystem services.

According to the report, these include water regulation, soil fertility and conservation, pollination, biodiversity and temperature regulation.

“Forests contribute to soil fertility in farming systems, support biodiversity and protect watersheds and watercourses, ensuring reliable access to clean water. In arid and semi-arid areas, rangeland trees provide essential browse for livestock, forming a crucial resource for pastoralist communities.” It adds.

Across its 228 pages, the report reimagines forests not just as environmental assets, but as pillars of sustainable, resilient, and nourishing food systems.

FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu says the role of forests and trees in food security has often been underestimated, despite their importance to the sustainability, productivity and resilience of agrifood systems.

Qu calls on countries and partners to strengthen collaboration and invest in better data and evidence on the relationship between forests and food systems.

“By working together and fully integrating forests into national, regional and global strategies, we can build agri-food systems that are more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable. We must do so because conserving and sustainably managing forests is fundamental to nourishing people, sustaining the planet and improving the well-being of present and future generations.” He says.

The former Director-General of the FAO, José Graziano da Silva, emphasized the need to move away from input-intensive approaches to food production and adopt systems that can produce more with fewer resources.

“Shifting from an input-intensive approach to one that allows us to produce more with less [is necessary]. Food for all must be part of the solution to climate change, and agriculture can boost the transition towards resilient, low-carbon societies and economies.” He says.

Ultimately, the report urges that forests and trees be woven purposefully into food security and nutrition strategies at every level—from local to global.

It calls for richer data, deeper collaboration, smarter policies, and sustainable forest management to truly recognize and preserve the vital role forests play in our food systems.