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Butterflies and birds reappear in villages after a decade of environmental restoration in Okalaka Village in the Terego district of Uganda. The reappearance of these indicator species, which help in pollination and seed dispersal among other roles, enhances biodiversity, supports ecosystem resilience, and improves the overall health of the environment.
This biodiversity restoration breakthrough has resulted from the efforts of a European Union (EU) funded programme for “Restoring and Conserving Degraded Fragile Ecosystems for Improved Community Livelihoods among Refugees and Host Communities in West Nile and Mid-Albertine Regions”.The project aims at supporting Uganda’s refugee response systems and is funded under the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF for Africa).
The village lost its biodiversity landscape more than ten years ago, mainly due to cutting trees for curing tobacco and other economic activities. The owner of more than 70 acres in the area, Ezati Robert dedicated all of them to the restoration project. He adds that he is practicing agroforestry on 20 of the 70 acres, and the rest are fully-fledged woodlands owned by the family.
According to Ezati, his greatest joy, and that of all the other residents, is seeing the reoccurrence of birds, butterflies, and small animals like the red monkeys which had long disappeared, asserting that many of the young people are seeing these creatures for the first time. He takes it upon himself, along with other village elders, to tell the younger ones the names and behaviors of the different birds and animals, since many are seeing them for the first time.
The project which ends this year, is implemented by a consortium of conservation CSOs, including the Ecological Christian Organization (ECO), Uganda Biodiversity Fund (UBF), Nature Uganda, and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). Harriet Tumushabe, the ECO programs manager, revealed on behalf of the consortium that a total of up to 5,411,746 euros was injected into the project. Tumushabe says the project has restored 355 hectares of Bugoma and Mount Kei central forest reserves, conserved 1,347 hectares of woodlands with indigenous tree species, planted and protected up to 248 hectares of wetland species, as well as supported landowners in the refugee-hosting communities, just like Ezati, to establish woodlots. Up to 598 hectares have so far been established.
Most implementing farmers are constrained by labour because it is hard to get someone who knows the pure agronomy of the tree until the tree can sustain itself on its own. There is also the challenge of bush burning, which is rampant in this region, most of which is done maliciously, and some for hunting. During the dry spell, trees tend to dry up as they are scorched by the sun, and then termites also eat up the trees.According to Harriet Tumushabe, they have intensified community sensitization and awareness, especially about environmental protection. For human-based challenges that can be managed, they are working with local governments to strengthen bylaws to curb particular challenges like roaming animals and bush burning.
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https://trendsnafrica.com/vanilla-advantage-eludes-ugandan-farmers/
A development aid report of 2023 indicates that deforestation in Uganda occur at an estimated rate of 50,147 hectares annually, with one of the contributing factors being the influx of refugees, who clear forests for agriculture and building materials.
