Ecosystems based adaptation (EbA) in Wetland and Forest Ecosystems project

Reducing Climate Change Vulnerability of Local Communities in Uganda through Ecosystems based adaptation (EbA) in Wetland and Forest Ecosystems project

Introduction

The Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) with technical support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is implementing a project titled “Reducing the climate change vulnerability of local communities in Uganda through Ecosystem Based Adaptation (EbA) in forest and wetland ecosystems”. The project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Least Developed Country Fund (LDCF) totaling USD 4,350,000.

The goal of this project is to reduce the vulnerability of communities living around wetlands and forests to climate change with the specific objective of increasing the technical and institutional capacity of government authorities and local communities in Uganda to implement EbA in wetland and forest ecosystems to reduce vulnerability of dependent communities to observed and anticipated effects of climate change.

The project outcome areas:

Outcome 1: Technical and institutional capacity at the local and national level to integrate EbA into existing management plans for wetlands and forests is strengthened

Outcome 2: Climate change vulnerability of communities living around degraded wetlands and forests is decreased through the implementation of EbA interventions

Outcome 3: Communities living at the project intervention sites have increased capacity to adopt alternative livelihoods and climate-resilient agriculture techniques to decrease their vulnerability to climate change and reduce degradation of wetlands and forests.

Outcome 4: Increased knowledge and awareness of government officials and communities at project intervention sites of: i) the ecosystem services provided by wetlands and forests; and ii) the benefits of EbA for increasing the resilience of livelihoods to climate change

Project intervention sites:

This project is being implemented in four intervention areas-ecosystems

R Enyau system (Arua; Arua City)

R Sironko system (Sironko; Bulambuli)

R Rwambu-Mpanga system (Ibanda; Kitagwenda and Kamwenge)

R Rwizi-Nakivale system (Mbarara; Mbarara City)