Project Overview

Project summary

Between 2016 and 2017, Uganda achieved a major climate milestone by reducing over 8 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent through targeted efforts to combat deforestation. These results were reported in Uganda’s Biennial Update Report (BUR) and validated through the UNFCCC’s technical assessment and analysis processes. At the 43rd Meeting of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Board (27–30 October 2025, Songdo, Republic of Korea), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will present the project “Uganda REDD+ Results-Based Payment for Emission Reductions (2016–2017)”. The proposal seeks a USD 31 million GCF grant to reward Uganda’s verified emission reductions and support continued efforts to halt deforestation and forest degradation. This is the first REDD+ Results-Based Payment project in Africa to be presented to the GCF Board, positioning Uganda as a regional leader in climate mitigation and forest conservation.

Forests under pressure

Uganda’s forests are facing increasing threats from agricultural and settlement expansion, grazing, and unsustainable wood harvesting for charcoal and timber. These proximate drivers are underpinned by broader socio-economic factors, including, limited economic alternatives, weak governance, insecure land tenure, and rapid population growth.

Agricultural conversion for commodities, such as cassava and cattle, is responsible for over 90 percent of forest loss.

These pressures are eroding vital ecosystems and accelerating emissions, underscoring the urgent need

for policies and measures that both sustain existing forests and expand forest cover while safeguarding

the rights and livelihoods of forest-dependent communities. This project will build on Uganda’s REDD+

Strategy and address the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation through:

 Sustainable land management and agroforestry;

 Climate-smart agriculture and sustainable woodfuel production;

 Community-based pole and timber plantations; and

 Restoration of natural forests.

These strategies aim to relieve pressure on natural ecosystems while promoting carbon removal and long-term sustainability. Agroforestry systems will generate benefits from several sources, including crop yields, timber, firewood, carbon, and watershed protection. Woodlots for both timber and firewood will reduce the distances rural women must walk to collect firewood.