Water Ministry enhancing Wetland restoration project, communities benefiting

The Ministry of Water and Environment (MoWE) has called for the protection of biodiversity, whether directly or indirectly saying it’s a collective effort for individuals, communities, and governments to work together.

Speaking to journalists at MoWE headquarters in Luzira , Kampala last week, Mr. David Okurut, the Commissioner of the Wetlands Management Department at Uganda’s Ministry of Water and Environment emphasized the vital significance of wetlands within Uganda’s ecosystem, describing them as “links” that support biodiversity, regulate water flow, and mitigate the effects of climate change.

He noted that wetland preservation is a shared responsibility, urging all stakeholders to actively participate in conserving these ecosystems.

“Preserving our wetlands is a shared responsibility, and research and innovation are key,” he noted.

Okurut emphasized the government’s ongoing conservation efforts, detailing the steps being taken to restore degraded wetlands and protect them from unsustainable activities. He encouraged those engaged in farming to adopt wetland-friendly practices, such as fish farming, which aligns with Uganda’s environmental conservation goals.

The Ministry of Water and Environment is implementing the eight-year- Building Resilient Communities, Wetland Ecosystems and Associated Catchments in Uganda project. The initiative aims at restoring wetlands and increasing the resilience of ecosystems and communities living around the wetlands, and is being funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The multi-sectoral project is expected to directly benefit up to 800,000 people in Uganda.

The GCF project spans 24 districts—12 in Eastern Uganda—focuses on wetland restoration, early warning systems, and the provision of alternative livelihoods. Wetlands provide many important functions to the people in Uganda, particularly with regard to food security.

The meeting was attended by Ms Jascinta Nalwoga, the UNDP Project Management Specialist for the Wetlands Restoration Project, Eng.John Twinomujuni among other officials.

According to a recent study on the value of wetlands in Uganda, several market and non-market benefits were identified: The market benefits include water for domestic use of livestock, support to dry season agriculture, provision of handicrafts, building materials, and food resources such as fish, yams, vegetables, wild game, and medicine. The non-market benefits include flood control, purification of water, and maintenance of the water table, microclimate moderation, and storm protection.

Wetlands also serve as habitats for important flora and fauna, have aesthetic and heritage values, and contain stocks of biodiversity of potentially high pharmaceutical value.

Over 80% of the people living adjacent to wetland areas in Uganda directly use wetland resources for their household food security needs.” 1 In addition to supporting food and water security, wetlands also support income generation and employment. “Of a total population of 34 million Ugandans, it is estimated that wetlands provide about 320,000 workers with direct employment and provide subsistence employment for over 2.4 million.

There are around 4,000,000 people living around the wetland in Uganda. Nearly 80% of them depend on the wetland resources for their household food, income and water security. Over the last decades and particularly in locations with higher density, wetlands are degrading. In eastern Uganda, wetlands are drained for rice growing. Strengthening the capacity of monitoring and managing wetlands is one of the priority areas for the Government of Uganda, and action has been taken by putting in place mechanisms for conservation and management of wetlands.

Success Stories

In 2022, the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries established a mini-irrigation scheme here in Mazuba sub-county, Namutumba district at the periphery of Mpologoma wetland systems under the Building Resilient Communities and Associated Catchments in Uganda Project with support from the Government of Uganda (GoU), the Green Climate Fund and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

The four-acre scheme not only supports smart farming throughout the year, it also acts as a demonstration Centre where communities adjacent to the wetland can acquire knowledge on sustainable wetland use and management. The solar-powered scheme serves 10 households (an average of 70 people) with a plan to acquire six more acres of land to increase the level of benefit.

The four acres have been divided into 13 plots of 20 by 40 ft. The average return from the scheme is between shs 10m-20m per season with each contributing approximately between shs 800.000 – shs 2m. There are also water troughs for watering animals.

Mr Sepi Musana, another farmer at the scheme testifies of how he bagged shs 800.000 from cabbages. “For my case, I was able to get shs 800.000 because this is my first time to engage in this kind of venture,” Musana said.

Mpologoma Wetland is now offering hope to households in the Namutumba district. An intact Mpologoma wetland, therefore, means an intact household income for the Kyaala. The reverse is unequivocally true.  Each basket, Kyaala says goes for between shs 5,000 to shs 10,000 depending on the size. In a good month, the house can earn up to shs 300,000 from the sale of the baskets. With this, the household can be sure of meeting the basic needs, including the education of children. The Government under the Building Resilient Communities, Wetland Ecosystems and Associated Catchments in Uganda Project restored Mpologoma wetland four years ago after successfully persuading communities adjacent to the wetland to voluntarily vacate in return for alternative livelihoods.

Irimbi Fish Youth Farming Group, in Irimbi ‘A’ village, Mpensia parish, Mazuba Sub-County, Namutumba district is one such determined group of youth who are now taking issues of sustainable wetland management seriously. And have come up with local initiatives that promote Ramsar Convention Principles.