Uganda: Theoretical Annual Revenue From Papyrus Harvest By Subcounty

This map presents the total annual revenue that could be obtained from harvesting all papyrus areas in each subcounty.

The potential revenue for each subcounty was obtained by multiplying the annual harvest quantity by its average sales price. The data are based on an economic study of papyrus harvest and sales in Pallisa District (Karanja et al., 2001) which determined an average sales price of 500 Uganda Shillings for each bundle of harvested papyrus. (This translates to an annual theoretical return of 200,000 Uganda Shillings per year for each hectare of papyrus wetland, equivalent to about US$ 118 per hectare per year with 1US$ = 1,700 Uganda Shillings.)

The map shows 444 subcounties without any papyrus revenues (areas in white). These subcounties have no papyrus wetlands and most of them are in the northern districts. Other subcounties without papyrus revenues are in southeast Uganda (Manafwa, Sironko, and Bukwo Districts), the southwestern highlands (parts of Bundibugyo, Kanungu, and Kasese Districts), and parts of Kiruhura and Lyantonde Districts. The other 514 subcounties have papyrus wetlands and could realize revenues from papyrus harvests (subcounties shown in shades of purple). The subcounties with the largest potential total annual papyrus revenues (shaded in dark purple) are in the districts of Buliisa, Nakaseke, Luwero, Kayunga, Kamuli, Pallisa, and Soroti. All of these districts have large papyrus wetlands neighboring Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, and other smaller open water bodies.

Sources: International boundaries (NIMA, 1997), district administrative boundaries (UBOS, 2006a), water bodies (NFA, 1996; NIMA, 1997; Brakenridge et al., 2006), and theoretical annual revenue from papyrus harvest (authors’ calculation based on NFA, 1996 and Karanja et al., 2001).