This presentation is part of the 5th African Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) Conference in Uganda, 14-16 October 2015

1. Sustaining native species on “peopled”
landscapes: threats to and
opportunities for nature conservation in
Uganda’s drylands and wetlands
WILLIAM OLUPOT
DIRECTOR, NATURE AND LIVELIHOODS
Presentation at the 5th
RCE Conference, Entebbe 14th
– 16th
Oct 2015

2. About Nature and Livelihoods NGO
• Status: Indigenous Ugandan NGO
• Year Founded: 2010
• Purpose: Develop/apply/upscale livelihood solutions to support
nature conservation inside and outside protected areas
• Membership: International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative

3. Why “peopled” landscapes?
• Biodiversity conservation
• High rate of biodiversity loss
• Certain ecological communities are only found in these landscapes
• Human well being
• Clean air
• Sustainable agriculture

4. Why dryland and wetland landscapes?
• High potential for achieving human/biodiversity coexistence (hence
new model development )
• High level of human dependence on biodiversity in drylands
• High productivity and resilient nature of wetlands

5. Sampling areas for drylands synthesis
1
2
3

6. Challenges and opportunities in drylands
Challenges
• Livestock overstocking
• Land fencing
• De-bushing
• Wood overexploitation
• Marginal land cropping
• Bushmeat overexploitation
Opportunities
• Native grasses as pasture
• Parkland farming
• Field boundaries
• Wild foods – plant and animal

7. Challenges and opportunities in drylands
(cont.)
• Bush thinning and land
fencing

8. Challenges and opportunities in drylands
(cont.)

9. Sampling areas for wetlands synthesis

10. Challenges and opportunities in wetlands
Challenges
• Over-cultivation – clearing any
and entire wetland
• Effort to exclude all wild species
in farmed wetlands
• Insensitivity to manifesting
symptoms of degradation
Opportunities
• Wetlands for water
• Native grasses for pasture
• Wetlands for fish
• Pest control function of
biodiverse wetlands
• Erosion control function of
natural buffers
• Amenity value

11. Challenges and opportunities in wetlands
(cont.)

12. Challenges of wetland farming
Reduced
Nutrient
Retention
Diminished
Recreational
Value

13. Challenges of wetland farming (cont.)
Diminished Pasture
Value
Reduced Capacity
for Fish Production

14. Challenges of wetland farming (cont.)
Reduced Value as
Sources of Water
Monocultures
Promoting Pest /
Weed Situations
WETLAND WITH
NO WATER

15. Beginnings of action: Our wild fruit project
• Building on the opportunity of
edible wild fruit
• Involving 10 fruit types
• Nutritional analyses &
processing trials
• Fruits rich in essential minerals
and Vitamin C
• Potential for Production of Jam,
Juice and Wine

16. End - Thank You For Listening