Margaret Adata
AFR100 Focal Point
Agroforestry and conservation agriculture have emerged as a sustainable land management practices addressing land degradation and loss of soil fertility Uganda. The agroforestry is regarded as an effective low-cost means of minimizing the degradation of cultivated lands and maintaining or even increasing the productive capacity of agricultural ecosystems.
Planting and managing woodlots are very key in Uganda in restoring degraded and encroached landscapes. Establishing woodlots using the right species in arid sites have been positive in taking back the functions of the degraded ecosystems in Uganda.
Farmer-managed natural regeneration can boost soil fertility and improve crop production. The land restoration programme has already trained farmers and technical personnel on farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR) to promote the regeneration of lands that have been cleared for farming. This low-cost sustainable landscape restoration technique aims to improve the productivity of agricultural lands while increasing tree cover and biodiversity. This is done primarily through the management of the tree stumps of indigenous trees (which remain after clearing land for farming) to facilitate regeneration. Farmers are embracing the approach and seeing positive results.
Stakeholder involvement
Uganda has established a National Sustainable Land Management (SLM) Multi-Stakeholder Committee / SLM Country Platform composed of representatives from National Steering Committee (NSC); the National Technical Committee composed of technical officers from the five key sectors (MAAIF; MWE; MLHUD; MEMD and MTTI), Civil Society Organizations (CSO) representatives, Faith Based Organizations (FBOs), Private Sector etc. Members of the committees advise on relevant policies implementation of activities supportive of LDN and proceed to integrate LDN recommendation in ongoing policy related initiatives.
A coordinating mechanism/platform
The coordination mechanism for implementing the LDN activities is further consolidated through the establishment of a multi-sector initiative. The initiative brings together the key sectors involved in the implementation of SLM activities or interventions. Included in this initiative are the CSOs, Faith Based Organizations, Research and Academia and District Local Governments and the Private sector. Within this initiative, Permanent Secretaries of five Key Sectors (MAAIF; MWE; MLHUD; MEMD and MTTI) signed an SLM Inter-Ministerial Cooperation Framework (IMCF) with the purpose of enhancing collaboration and joint action between the sectors in developing and implementing a harmonized country investment framework on forest landscape restoration and sustainable land management. LDN integration into the existing SLM Investment Framework consolidates the SLM coordination mechanisms as the approach requires close sectoral working relationships and using additional LDN indicators to monitor land degradation, including gender equity and good (land) governance.
Capacity building
One of the challenges of the LDN targets implementation is the institutional capacity of stakeholders. Government agencies such as ministries and implementing institutions need to be supported in capacity development to maintain the momentum in land governance, implementation of FLR work packages and sustainable land management for Neutral Degradation by 2030.
Partnership
Close collaboration and partnership is very necessary for successful implementation of LDN targets in Uganda. The coordination is ensured with the support of the Land Degradation Neutrality Target Setting Programme (LDN TSP), a partnership initiative is implemented by the Secretariat and the Global Mechanism of the UNCCD, with support of the international partners, NGOs, National and Local institutions and communities.
Geographically sound targets for achieving a neutral (no net loss) or improved (net gain) state will allow Uganda to focus on areas that have been identified as degradation “hot spots” and/or are considered to be a high-value priority in achieving LDN by 2030.
Priority interventions:
