AVENUES FOR VOLUNTARY COMMITMENT TO MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PLATFORMS, BASED ON A SCIENTIFIC DIAGNOSIS
4.5 HECTARES
Area of forest and woodland converted to other uses since 1990, including agriculture and charcoal (NFA, 2015)
269
number of threatened species in 2020 according to the IUCN Red List. There were 248 in 2009
Threats
STAR analysis
Uganda is one of the 10 countries with the most biodiversity in Africa (Butler, 2016). In fact, the country has 1,742 known species of terrestrial vertebrates, 4,816 species of plants and over 600 species of fish. With the country's landscapes alternating between grasslands and alpine vegetation, it boasts more than 24 different types of natural vegetation.
Despite the official recognition of 722 protected areas, Uganda's biodiversity has been in decline since 1995. The reason for these changes lies mainly in land use and habitat modifications. Indeed, terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems are directly affected by the negative impact of economic activities. Phenomena such as eutrophication and sediment loading of waterways occur regularly.
Central forests are particularly vulnerable, as evidenced by the Mabira and Bugoma forests and the sugarcane plantations. The degradation of these ecosystems has concrete repercussions on ecosystem services. For example, extreme rainfall is no longer sufficiently captured by forests, woodlands or scrubland. Hydrological cycles are also shortened in certain geographical areas.
Historically, illegal activities by rural communities combined with counter-productive government policies have led to uncontrolled rural development and conflicting access to natural resources.
In Uganda, the multi-stakeholder dialogue brought together local and government districts, civil society organizations, businesses, agricultural confederations and research institutes.
Stakeholders met on several occasions: online consultations, field missions to four target territories (Kagombe, Misindi, Mubende, Mount Elgon), two national sector workshops and a final workshop to sign the "table of commitments".
During the dialogue workshops, a precise framework was drawn up, in the form of a table, to structure the content of the EVs. Participants were invited to draft their own EV proposals.
Options chosen and scenarios discussed
Agriculture
Agriculture - Improve agricultural practices by obtaining sustainable agriculture certification for small-scale tea and coffee growers, with the aim of achieving certification for 200,000 hectares of plantations.
- Manage 100,000 hectares of forests sustainably and include them in the appropriate certification scheme
- Restore degraded habitats at a rate of 50 km² per year
- Plant 10 million native trees every year.
Energy
Energy - Develop a voluntary sustainable energy certification scheme
- Set up firewood plantations
- Promote and encourage the use of alternative energies such as ethanol, LPG, biogas and briquettes.
- Promote and install energy-efficient stoves and equipment such as pressure cookers
- Introduce stricter regulations on the use of firewood from natural forests, in particular on the use of indigenous trees by institutions and businesses in Uganda's main cities; only dead wood may be used.
Energy
19 structures proposed voluntary commitments (VCs). Of these, 9 signed, including 3 local and governmental districts, a research institute, two private-sector companies, an agricultural federation, a government agency and a civil society organization.
- All Green Energy has committed to installing 2,000 energy-efficient stoves in 4 years;
- Uganda's National Farmers' Federation has pledged to plant 2 million native trees and ensure the regeneration of 500,000 trees;
- the Youth Go Green association has pledged to install 50,000 biochar stoves.
Agriculture
16 structures proposed voluntary commitments (VCs). Of these, 8 signed them, including 4 local and government districts, a research institute, a private-sector company, an agricultural federation and a government agency. For example:
- the local and governmental district of Kagadi commits to restoring 10 hectares of land (outside the protected areas of Kagombe and Bugoma) within 4 years;
- beer producer Nile Breweries Limited is committed to reducing its water use by 35% per liter of beer produced, and to using its water treatment plant for all wastewater.
Common to both sectors
Common to both sectors - During the dialogue workshops, a precise framework was drawn up, in the form of a table, to structure the content of the EVs. Participants were invited to draft their own EV proposals.
- The table distributed included the following: quantified objectives, actions to be implemented, monitoring criteria, time milestones, focal organization responsible and financial resources required.
- Over and above the content of the EVs, the signatories undertook to integrate biodiversity into the operation of their structure and into their strategy.