Treat Degradation As A National Problem

Ms Juliet Kyokunda, the Executive Director of Uganda Biodiversity Fund says it is the responsibility of every Ugandan to participate in the cause of ecosystem restoration.

This as the European Union injected 9.2 million Euros for restoration of degraded Environmental and Natural Resources in the Refugee Hosting Districts of Uganda including Adjumani, Arua, Kiryadongo and Yumbe.

The project is intended to mitigate risks to forests, woodlands, wetlands and riverine ecosystems as well as restore degraded ecosystems, improve environmental planning, support Sustainable Land Management practices such as Climate Smart Agriculture, soil and water conservation measures and to build capacity of government and non-government institutions responsible for environment protection and biodiversity conservation.

Now Ms Kyokunda states that all communities local and refugee, contribute to the state of degradation Uganda is currently facing and all citizens must join hands in dealing with it, she added.

Uganda Biodiversity Fund (UBF) and Save the Children will lead in the project implementation of the “Response to Increased Environmental and Natural Resources Degradation in the Refugee Hosting Districts of Uganda” (RED).

The EU Head of Cooperation, Caroline Adriaensen, noted that the country hosts many refugees in areas that need support, which such projects will aid. “The fact is, the ongoing refugee influx into Uganda has led to the establishment of some of the world’s largest refugee settlements in Northern and Western Uganda,” she added.