Saving Lukindu: A Call to Conserve Uganda’s Wild Date Palm

                                                Source: Wikipedia

This wild date palm, scientifically known as Phoenix reclinata  and popularly known as Lukindu (Luganda), Lusansa (Lusoga), Itchi (Madi), Ekikindu (Runyankore), grows in dense clumps beside swamps and rivers with a slender mature trunk that may reach 10 metres, and often bent over (‘reclinata’).

It has enormous uses, including: providing quality charcoal, timber (for local doors, and has been widely used to bridge waterways and when constructing pit latrines, fence posts, as it is not easily attacked by termites and other pests. It yields yellow-brown fruits (mpirivuma) that are processed to make a coffee-like beverage that is reportedly caffeine–free and is now locally processed and packaged for sale in Kampala and other areas. Its leaves are important for ornamental purposes, for roofing, basketry, and mats.

Every year on Palm Sunday, the tree suffers tremendously as many Christians reach out for its leaves to celebrate this event.

Unfortunately, little effort has been put into conserving and/or replenishing it. As early as 1995, AB Kitende, Ann Birnie and Bo Tengnas, in a book: Useful Trees and Shrubs for Uganda – Technical Handbook No. 10 (Regional Soil Conservation Unit/ SIDA, noted that Phoenix reclinata  has been overharvested in Uganda and requires immediate attention by replanting and restricting the removal of all leaves.

During this year's National Tree Planting Day, communities, businesses and Christians country-wide should be vanguards to do something – to conserve this wild palm wherever it is, to replant it using the suckers that they may have access to. They can also consider raising it from its seeds in the long run as part of the  ROOTs Campaign. Seed is probably best sown as soon as it is ripe in containers, and germination usually takes place within 2 - 3 months.