Landscape restoration is not just about trees—it’s about people. At the heart of every thriving ecosystem is a community that depends on it—and more importantly, cares for it.

Uganda’s landscapes, especially in regions like the Albertine Rift, are under intense pressure from deforestation, climate change, and unsustainable farming practices. Restoration efforts here are not just urgent—they are essential for both climate resilience and livelihood security.

Through our work with local communities, we have learnt that technical solutions alone won’t cut it. No matter how brilliant the intervention—be it agroforestry, soil conservation, or reforestation—it only works when local people are genuinely involved. Community engagement is not a checkbox. It’s a long-term commitment to listen, learn, and co-create solutions with the very people who live on, rely on, and protect the land.

Why Community Engagement Matters

• Local Knowledge: Communities possess invaluable knowledge about their environment, including traditional farming practices, local species, and ecosystem dynamics.
• Ownership and Accountability: When communities are involved in decision-making processes, they develop a sense of ownership and accountability for the restoration efforts.
• Sustainability: Community-led initiatives are more likely to be sustainable in the long term, as they are tailored to local needs and contexts.

Therefore, we have to start by meeting communities where they are—not just geographically, but in terms of knowledge, culture, and aspirations. That means spending time with the communities, understanding local priorities, identifying champions within the community who can lead change from within, and involving communities in monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of restoration efforts, ensuring that their perspectives and insights inform our work. When farmers and households see the benefits of restoration—improved soil fertility, increased yields, better access to firewood, and protection against floods—they begin to take ownership. And ownership is what transforms a project from a short-term intervention into a sustainable movement.

As we scale up our restoration efforts, let’s put people at the center. Technical expertise, financial resources, and institutional support all matter—but without community trust and engagement, none of them are effective. Ultimately, communities are not just beneficiaries of restoration; they are the drivers, protectors, and storytellers of a healthier, more resilient landscape.

Let’s continue the conversation! I’d love to hear how others are integrating community voices into restoration and climate resilience efforts across Africa and beyond.

#LandscapeRestoration #ClimateAction #CommunityEngagement #Agroforestry #Uganda #JESE #NatureBasedSolutions #Resilience #Sustainability #RestoreAfrica

JESE, in partnership with CARE, enrolled and trained 25 farmers for apprenticeship training. The apprentices were trained in Coffee bending and stumping; they were also trained in Post post-harvest handling for Cereals.

 This follows an assessment conducted in May 2025 by the Uganda Vocational Training Assessment Board (UVTAB) for all 25 apprentices (20 females and 5 males).

About 25 farmers were skilled. 20 were for Coffee (Stumping and Bending while 5 were for Post Harvest Handling in cereals.

The trainees gained skills to make them earn a living by supporting other farmers to improve their agricultural activities. This was a field based and hands on assessment in a bid to meet the mandate put in place by the Uganda Vocational Training Assessment Body (UVTAB).

Speaking to Mr. Tumuramye Bosco, Project Officer-Starbucks, he shared that they empower farmers to get livelihood options under the FFBs-C Starbucks project.

“So, we believe that skilling a community-based trainer will as well improve on his/ her well-being but also help them reach out to other farmers for support. He noted.

#IDP #DP #MMU

As part of our effort to protect the environment, Joint Effort to Save the Environment joined other actors in the cleaning of Fort Portal Tourism City. An activity initiated by the Tooro Kingdom under the theme “BARAGIRA KIKI CAMPAIGN,” actors leveraged this and marked the beginning of the Water and Environment Week.

The Ministry of Water and Environment Albertine regional office, Tooro Kingdom, together with AFRIYEA, on 1st of March 2025 participated in the monthly Fort Portal City clean-up exercise.

As part of its Albertine Regional Water and Environment Week pre-events, the activity intended to spread awareness on proper waste management for sustainable water resources and environmental management, with the main goal of keeping River Mpanga clean and safe for socio-economic development of the Mpanga catchment.

The Prime Minister of the Tooro, Rt. Hon. Calvin Rwomire Armstrong, who represented the Omukama of the Tooro Kingdom as the Chief Guest thanked the organising partners for the effort in setting up the event and also urged them to take it a step further and also engage in mindset change activities to sensitize the local community on taking care of their environment and river to enable them curb the adverse effects of global warming.

The event was also attended by representatives of the de-concentrated Ministry of Water and Environment departments, Uganda People’s Defence Forces, the Uganda Police Force, office of the Resident City Commissioner, and partners such as IRC, Jese, Join For Water, NRDI, primary, secondary and tertiary education institutions, members of the media and members of the local community.

In addition to the cleaning campaign, the ARWEWK launched the demarcation of Nyakimya wetland along River Mpanga in Fort Portal City, Kabarole District. With support from Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, through Join For Water with NRDI, the implementing Agency, will demarcate six wetland systems in Fort Portal Tourism City.

The event was marked by the ceremonial installation of the first pillar within Fort Portal City, which marked the beginning of demarcation of 10km along the same wetland.

During this launch, the Chief Guest, Calvin

Rwomire Armstrong, the Prime Minister of Tooro Kingdom, pledged to support the ministry’s projects and urged the locals to take up the initiative to protect and restore the wetlands in order to control and reduce the effects of global warming which is increasing at an accelerated rate.

The event was also attended by representatives of the de-concentrated Ministry of Water and Environment departments, Tooro Kingdom, Uganda’s key defense and security agencies, office of the Resident City Commissioner, assorted key partners, education institutions, the media fraternity and members of the local community

Through Restore Africa, JESE aims to improve livelihoods, food security and resilience to climate change

in Africa through the restoration of ecosystem services and the improved management of agricultural and forest areas. In preparation for the March-May (MAM) rainy season, JESE targets to reach a total of 5,491 farming households across 38 sub-counties in the districts of Ibanda,

Kyenjojo, Kyegegwa, Kamwenge, Bunyangabu, and Buhweju in mid-western Uganda. The initiative aims to plant 693,252 trees, through a wide range of planting systems including: agroforestry, woodlots, silverpastral, boundary and strip planting. Key activities include community & stakeholder engagement meetings, Community Road visioning, agroforestry and tree management trainings, and distribution of tree seedlings

Joint Effort to Save the Environment (JESE)received funding from Join For Water and Serengeti Energy to construct a water extension project in Ntara Sub County, Kitagwenda District.

The program, which was implemented for ten months, came as a relief to the community of Ntara Sub County.

The Ntara water extension project was constructed by Bakens Investment. It includes 12 water stands from Rwetuha to Nyakacwamba across eight villages: Kalere, Mpanga, Rwengwe, Kapapali, Karubuguma 1, Karubuguma 2, Nyakacwamba 1, and Nyakacwamba 2.

The handover event that was attended by the community members, District officials, sub-county team Local council chairpersons of the benefiting communities, JESE, Join For Water, and Serengeti Energy was full of appreciation from the different stakeholders.

“We have spent many years waiting for water and are very grateful for the support. I want to thank Join For Water, JESE, and Serengeti for making this happen.” Said Mr. Twesigye Ben, the Chairperson of Local Council 1, Kalere Village. 

The community, sub-county, and District leaders committed to continue supporting the water project. They pledged to support the maintenance and repairs of the facilities. They, however, cautioned the community members against misuse of the water resource.  Now that we have clean water, diseases like; Typhoid, and cholera will be reduced in other communities.

Mr. Mushermeze Ismail the District LCV Chairman shared that he is in contact with the district engineer and the RDC’s office to ensure the water source in Rwetuha is protected and secured. 

Message from the Funders and implementing partner.

JESE, Join For Water, and Serengeti Energy thanked the community members across the eight villages for allowing water pipes to be passed in their land saying the project would not be successful without the donation made by the community members and Kitagwenda District leaders for the continued support that enabled the completion of the project.

 Serengeti Energy, represented by Ms. Karen remarked that they participated in the event to show their commitment to serving the community. “We are aware that having water near saves our women and girls time walking long distances.” Said Karen Low, the Chief Environmental, Social, and Governance Officer, at Serengeti Energy.

The Rwenzori Agroecology Actors Platformed was launched on the second day of the Indigenous Seed and Food Fair. Envisioned to support the Rwenzori region communities to achieve steady socio-economic development premised on sustainable utilization of natural resources, the RAAP aims to transform agricultural practices and policies based on principles of equity, justice, and ecological sustainability for the well-being of present and future generations.

The RAAP’s strategic actions include: Capacity building of farmers; Networking and collaboration among diverse actors; Knowledge generation and dissemination of practical experiences and best practices; Demonstration and Evidence-based documentation; Promotion of Agroecological Markets and Advocacy and Policy Engagement.

During the launch, representations included; JESE, PELUM, KRC, Mountains of the Moon University (MMU), TOPA, Natural Resources Defense Initiatives (NRDI), Bunyangabu Beekeepers Cooperative Society Limited, The Association of Rwenzori Community, Rugarama United Youth Beekeepers Association, Kyenjojo District Coffee and Vanilla Farmers Cooperative Society Limited, Iles De Paix (IDP), Broederlijk Delen (BD), Albertine Interventions for Development (AID), Community Sustainable Initiative Link, Kiima Foods, Care, NARO_Rwebitaba ZARDI, Kabambiro Farmers Marketing Association, Uganda Martyrs University, ISSD, IFDC International, Kabarole Beekeepers Cooperative, Bwamba Cooperative Union among others.

Present were also representatives of the different local governments in the region including Kabarole, Ntoroko  Kyenjojo, Kamwenge, Kyegegwa, Bunyangabu  Districts, and Fort Portal Toursim City.