Renewable energy-Uganda - By the end of this month we shall have the 7 billionth person born somewhere in the world. The world population has been growing steadily since the 1970s when Asia led the growth tables. Currently the developing countries commonly called the Third world are leading the high growth figures. Uganda is among countries with the highest population growth. Latest figures suggest that there are between six and seven children per woman of child bearing age in Uganda, according to the Population Reference Bureau. "Uganda's population will continue to grow because of the large number of people who are either currently at an age when they are having children or who will soon enter that age group. With half of its population age 15 or younger, Uganda stands out as one of the world's youngest age structures." Current the population is projected at 35 million, and despite economic growth in the past decade, many Ugandans live in poverty and confront social and economic inequities.

The additional population has two major problems it places on the country. It is basically youthful and therefore non productive.

This means a mature population of between 20% (those between 20 and 45) has to care for the majority of the population (31%) those between 0 and 20 years.

The other problem is the fact that however much any population increases the space cannot increase. The challenge then is to utilize the space in the most disciplined manner.

A high population pauses many other problems key among them housing, food, education, health, crime and environmental stress. Whereas the others can be resolved with careful planning and disciplined execution, the most challenging is that concerning the environment.

Just as Jeffrey Sacchs, the director of the Earth Institute in Columbia University said (see Page 18), whenever human beings feel pressured, it is the environment that suffers.

"The world's agricultural systems are already dangerously overstretched. Rainforests are being cut down to make way for new farms; groundwater used for irrigation is being depleted; greenhouse gases emitted from agricultural activities are a major factor in global climate change; fertilizers are poisoning estuaries; and countless species are threatened with extinction as we grab their land and water and destroy their habitats."

Hence in an attempt to solve a problem, we end up creating more.

Arguably the biggest challenge facing a huge population is that of cooking fuel.

Take the case of the price of charcoal which is the major source of cooking fuel for many urban households. With a bag going for Ugshs80,000 ($29) in August, the temptation to cut down trees and earn quick money is high.

Prices have relatively gone down with a bag now averaging Ushs50,000 ($18). We must note that because of poor road network, the cost of making charcoal briquettes has increased because the dealers must hire heavy transport (tractors) to get the charcoal from impassable remote areas. And because the price has gone up some boda boda man (motor bike taxi rider) realizes they have some trees they can fell and make charcoal on their gardens in the village.

So they go ahead and make quick and perhaps easy money.

But what they don't realize is that those trees have had long term benefits to them.

Having grown for over 20 years, they shield the soil from ultra violet rays of the sun. They attract water closer to the surface, birds and all sorts of insects that pollinate our crops rest on these trees. They also hold the sol to avoid erosion.

The rural family also get firewood from such trees.

So the welcome lower charcoal prices are actually we must pay for dearly..

In town where food is sent, they also demand fuel. With the high cost of electricity (assuming it is available) and gas, the majority of urban dwellers use charcoal.

So more trees will have to be felled to fill this ever rising demand.

But unlike food, trees take long to grow. Food can even be grown in green houses but trees must grow in the open over a long period.

A few years down the drain, what was once a rich garden reduces in output. More labour and inputs (fertilizers) are required.

With very little profit coming in, your boda boda soon sells the land and returns to the city, hence creating another urban problem - slums and their usual accompaniments - joblessness, poor sanitation, high rate of crime, illiteracy- the list is long.

Beside cooking, wood has many other uses; from construction, herbal medicine, paper to furniture.

The answer to this challenge is therefore sustainable reversion to renewable energy sources like solar energy and bio gas.

God gave us the sun and we have largely ignored it. Yet in it lies many solutions to our daily lives.

Currently Uganda like much of East Africa, is facing an acute energy problem. There is excitement because after many years of load shedding, the country is about to get more power from a second dam on the Nile.

At the same time, there is excitement that the country is about to start drilling its oil.

The Bujagali dam, a $850m project will generate 250 megawatts, enough to power the country- only for a time.

More power will be generated from several small dams and a larger one at Karuma (700mw).

Our oil may take us for some 30 years. It is good to harness these resources but it is evil to believe that they will permanently solve our energy needs.

By the time Karuma dam is completed maybe in 2016, the total energy generated will not be enough for our needs considering the demand and level of investment.

Prudence therefore preaches that we must not ignore our renewable energy sources mostly solar, bio gas and geothermal energy.

The beauty with this is that they are renewable (cannot be depleted) whereas the worry with the hydro energy and fossil fuels creates is that they are just for a short time. Assuming there is enough power (and it will never be enough) for all Ugandans to use for their domestic needs including cooking, it will only be around for a limited time. Which means we shall need to return to wood fuel.

Therefore in order to face the challenge of a growing population amid cooking fuel fears, we must invest as much resources or more as we invest in the hydro power dams and oil drilling.

Our children will question our wisdom in investing huge sums of money where we are sure we shall reap benefits for a short time whereas we could invest a similar amount and get benefits for as along as the sun shines.

Jerome Mukasa is a journalist who writes on energy and agricultural issues

Jerome Mukasa

East African Business Week/24/10/2011