This is part of the Integrated Water Resources Management Project which is targeting 1,000 households to directly benefit from the new livelihood changing projects under the plan for the Restoration and Protection of the River Rwizi Ecosystem and Catchment Area.
600 People who
were evicted and those who voluntarily moved out of wetlands in Rwampara
district are set to benefit from a 100 million Shillings wetland restoration project.
This is part of the Integrated Water Resources Management Project which is
targeting 1,000 households to directly benefit from the new
livelihood changing projects under the plan for the
Restoration and Protection of the River Rwizi Ecosystem and Catchment Area. The beneficiaries will be given pigs, goats, tree seedlings, and beehives to engage in meaningful activities other than practising agriculture in wetlands.
This
follows a forceful eviction operation conducted last month by the National
Environment Management Authority-NEMA and the office of the Resident District
Commissioner against individuals who had encroached on the Ihoho-Kongoro -Nyakaikara -Kijojo wetland catchment. Those
evicted are residents of three parishes of Kongoro, Nyakaikara and Ihoho
in Bugamba and Ndeija Sub counties, with a catchment area covering 150 hectares.
Arinaitwe
Humprey, one of the beneficiaries says the wetland that had existed for over 40
years had been degraded within three years by encroachers noting that through
the project they were sensitized about the bad effects of encroaching on wetlands.
Similarly, Annet
Ninsiima, another beneficiary says they were sensitized about the good
methods of
farming without encroaching on wetlands.
John Najuna,
the chairperson of ACORD, a local non-government organisation, wants the government to give evicted
people alternative livelihoods to stop them from returning to the wetland. He says they
are focusing on doing projects outside the wetlands like
beekeeping, piggery, and doing backyard gardens
//Cue in;
“giving out a…
Cue out…mostly the wetlands.”//
The project
implemented by Rwampara District Local Government is spearheaded by the
Agency for Cooperation in Research and Development Southwestern Uganda
and funded by Bread
for the World, a Germany based development agency.
Rwampara District Chairperson Richard
Womugasho says that the project seeks to
restore the wetlands for future generations.
He warned
the heads of the environment and natural resources departments not to allow
again the encroachment and degrading of the wetlands.
//Cue in;
“is when we…
Cue out…once for all.”//
Emmy Katera
Turyabagyenyi, Resident District commissioner asked the beneficiaries to make
good use of the project to sustain their livelihood without encroaching again
on the wetlands.
//Cue in;
“they have handed…
Cue out...degrade the wetland.”//
Joconiuos
Musingwire the regional manager of NEMA western Uganda welcomed the project and
asked the beneficiaries to always look out for the indicators of the wetland
especially during the dry season to avoid unnecessary excuses.
//Cue in;
“The appeal is…
Cue out:
…that has resurfaced.”//
According to
the auditor general’s report 2018 wetlands in Uganda have declined from about
13% in 1994 to 8.9 per cent in 2017 which has led to the occurrences of negative
consequences such as floods, prolonged dry seasons, loss of Biodiversity and
deteriorating water quality.
