Restore Africa Program launched in Uganda

In Summary
  • Restore Africa will work in 36 districts to improve degraded farms in Southwestern Uganda, Karamoja and Mount Elgon regions.
  • Climate Asset Management has availed 22.5m dollars to support the massive land restoration initiatives working with a consortium of agencies
Chief of party, Restore Africa Program, Niek de Goeij, Director Environment Affairs at Ministry of Environment, Stephen Mugabi and National Cordinator, Uganda Land care Network, Joy Tukahirwa during the launch
Image: courtesy

The Global Ever Greening Alliance has announced that they are set to support 352,500 smallholder farmers in Uganda in an effort to restore degraded land over the next five years.

The initiative targets to restore 560,000 hectares of land under the Restore Africa Programme, one of the world’s largest and most ambitious large-scale restoration programmes.

Stephen Mugabi, Director of Environment Affairs at the ministry during the launch noted that the move is welcome because it supplements the already existing campaigns by the government to restore Uganda’s degraded landscape in the National Development Plan III.

Interim Restore Africa Programme Manager, Dr. Jonathan Muriuki, revealed that Restore Africa will work in 36 districts to improve degraded farms in Southwestern Uganda, Karamoja and Mount Elgon regions.

“The project primarily is for the benefit of the communities and it is led by communities. The communities are going to work with the consortium partners to plan land management plans that are for their own benefit.” Said Muriuki.

Chief of party, Restore Africa Program, Niek de Goeij, makes his remarks during the program launch
Image: Edwin Muhumuza

Land and land usage in Uganda can be sensitive socially and in a bid to allay fears about the management, farmers will be at liberty to decide what happens on their land, according to Muriuki.

“They will decide what happens on their land as long as trees are planted and when those trees produce carbon, we register what we call a carbon project that is registered with an international registration scheme to show that actually additional carbon is registered in Uganda and for us to do that we go through what is called free, prior and informed consent to make sure that farmers completely understand how carbon is sequestered by trees.” 

In regard to funding, Private sector company, Climate Asset Management has availed 22.5m dollars to support the massive land restoration initiatives working with a consortium of agencies led by Catholic Relief Services, CARE International, Eco Trust, Uganda Landcare Network, World Agroforestry Centre (CIFOR-ICRAF) and World Vision according to Niek de Goeij, chief of party, Restore Africa Program, further noting that it will be business unusual.

Globally, through farmer-managed natural regeneration, assisted natural regeneration, and evergreen energy the Restore Africa Programme aims to restore 1.9 million hectares of land and directly support 1.5 million smallholder farming families, across six African countries; Kenya, Ethiopia, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

Climate Asset Management at COP26 in Glasgow is one of the largest land restoration programs in the world and will significantly contribute to the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100), which aims to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land by 2030.

Land restoration is an urgent task given the rapidly changing climate and the need to climate-proof Ugandan farmers and their farming systems, upgrade and improve existing agroforestry practices, and integrate trees into various farming systems to improve soil and water management and contribute to improved livelihoods.

In the high-production areas of southwest Uganda, farmers will integrate trees that support and enhance their production systems and value chains. Examples include improved shade management in the coffee and banana farming system. Farmers will also explore options to plant fruit trees, and flowering trees to provide shade and build secure boundary fences in vanilla farms. In the savannah areas of Karamoja, restore Africa, will work to use trees in reducing soil water loss and improving pasture management. All this work will contribute to reducing erosion, improving crop yields, promoting crop diversification, and creating new employment opportunities, particularly for women and youth.

But, at the same time, growing millions of trees to improve farming systems across Uganda, will also be using trees to capture carbon from the atmosphere and mitigate the effects of climate change.

 

Director Mugabi (right), who represented the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Water and Environment greets Dr Jonathan Muriuki, Interim Restore Africa Programme Manager after he officially launched the programme
Image: Courtesy

hrough what is called free, prior and informed consent to make sure that farmers completely understand how carbon is sequestered by trees.” 

In regard to funding,Private sector company, Climate Asset Management has availed 22.5m dollars to support the massive land restoration initiatives working with a consortium of agencies led by Catholic Relief Services, CARE International, Eco Trust, Uganda Landcare Network, World Agroforestry Centre (CIFOR-ICRAF) and World Vision according to Niek de Goeij, chief of party,Restore Africa Program,further noting that it will be business unusual.

Globally, through farmer managed natural regeneration, assisted natural regeneration and evergreen energy the Restore Africa Programme aims to restore 1.9 million hectares of land and directly support 1.5 million smallholder farming families, across six African countries ; Kenya, Ethiopia, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.

Climate Asset Management at COP26 in Glasgow is one of the largest land restoration programs in the world and will significantly contribute to the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100), which aims to restore 100 million hectares of degraded land by 2030.

The land restoration is an urgent task given the rapidly changing climate and the need to climate proof Ugandan farmers and their farming systems, to upgrade and improve existing agroforestry practices and integrate trees into various farming systems to improve soil and water management and contribute to improved livelihoods.

In the high production areas of southwest Uganda, farmers will integrate trees that support and enhance their production systems and value chains. Examples include improved shade management in coffee and banana farming system. Farmers will also explore options to plan fruit trees, and flowering trees to provide shade and build secure boundary fences in vanilla farms. In the savannah areas of Karamoja, restore Africa, will work to use trees in reducing soil water loss and improve pasture management. All this work will contribute to reducing erosion, improving crop yields, promoting crop diversification and creating new employment opportunities particularly for women and youth.

But, at the same time, growing millions of trees to improve farming systems across Uganda, will also be using trees to capture carbon from the atmosphere and mitigate the effects of climate change.