Promoting Integrated Landscape Management for Conservation of the Mount Elgon Ecosystem in Eastern Uganda

Background

The Government of Uganda has prioritised equitable access to productive land, sustainable natural resource management, and integrated landscape planning as key pathways for economic growth, poverty reduction, and industrialisation. One of the most critical landscapes under pressure is the Mount Elgon ecosystem, which supports nearly four million people. This mountain region provides essential goods and services — biodiversity, watersheds, and livelihoods — but faces severe challenges from land degradation, unsustainable farming, and climate change.

To address these issues, Uganda launched the Promoting Integrated Landscape Management Approach for Conservation of the Mount Elgon Ecosystem Project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through UN Environment. The project is implemented by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) in collaboration with ministries, conservation agencies, cooperatives, and district governments across the Mt. Elgon region.

Project Goal

The overarching goal is to enhance conservation of ecosystems that provide critical goods and services for rural livelihoods and food security in the Mt. Elgon landscape.

Project Objective

The project seeks to transition the Mt. Elgon landscape into a sustainable, biodiverse, climate-resilient system with efficient value and supply chains for coffee and staple crops such as maize, beans, bananas, and Irish potatoes.

This initiative represents a holistic approach to conservation and development, ensuring that the Mount Elgon ecosystem continues to sustain biodiversity, livelihoods, and food security for generations to come.

Project Sites

The project is being implemented in a total of 38 sub-counties in the districts of Bududa, Bukwo, Bulambuli, Kapchorwa, Kween, Manafwa, Mbale, Namisindwa and Sironko (see the map below).

Progress/Achievements so far

• Integrated landscape approaches adopted at landscape and national level. Achievements/benchmarks registered under this are as follows:

Finalization of the consultancy report on land use and vulnerability to climate change impacts. The consultant submitted the first and second draft reports to the Technical Working Group (TWG) for review. The TWG members provided comments/inputs to both the first and second draft reports. Comments/input to the second draft report enabled the consultant to produce the third/final report on land use and vulnerability to climate change impacts. The produced report contains Updated information on land use and vulnerability to climate change impacts to inform landscape management planning in the Mt Elgon landscape. Finalization of a tool to guide mainstreaming of Integrated Landscape Management (ILM) approaches and Biodiversity into District Development Plans (DDPs). The Project Management Unit (PMU) developed a draft tool for guiding mainstreaming of ILM approaches and Biodiversity conservation into DDPs. A meeting with the district technical officers (District Planners, Natural Resource Officers and Production officers) was organized to review the tool. The output of the meeting was a final tool for guiding mainstreaming of ILM approaches and Biodiversity into DDPs. Thereafter, mainstreaming of ILM approaches and biodiversity conservation into the DDPs was undertaken through meetings held with district technical officers (District Planners, Natural Resource Officers and Production officers) in each of the nine project districts to review the DDPs and incorporate ILM approaches and biodiversity conservation.

Development of a sustainable integrated landscape management plan for Mt Elgon landscape to be implemented by District Local Governments (DLGs) and other stakeholders. The consultant finalized field data collection, analyzed data and thereafter drafted the management plan. A first draft was submitted to the TWG for review. The TWG reviewed the draft and provided comments/inputs. The consultant considered the comments/inputs from the TWG; produced a second draft plan and submitted it to the TWG for review. The TWG reviewed the second draft plan and provided comments/input that enabled the consultant to finalize the plan. A final plan was submitted to NEMA who organized a meeting of the District Executive Officers (The Chairpersons LC V and Chief Administrative Officers) to approve the plan for implementation.

Development of a gender mainstreaming strategy and action plan. The consultant finalized field data collection, analyzed data and afterwards started drafting the gender mainstreaming strategy and action plan. A first draft was submitted to the TWG for review. The TWG reviewed the draft and provided comments/inputs. The consultant considered the comments/inputs from the TWG; produced a second draft gender mainstreaming strategy and action plan and submitted to the TWG for review. The second draft gender mainstreaming strategy was also shared with the World Bank Gender specialists for comments/input. After receipt of input from both the TWG and the World Bank Gender specialist, the consultant finalized the strategy and submitted it to NEMA.

Strengthened institutional and governance systems for implementation of the integrated Landscape plan. Achievements registered so far include: Finalization of a technical capacity and institutional needs assessment of extension workers and local leaders targeting both men and women. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) engaged a consultant to carry out a technical capacity and institutional needs assessment of extension workers and local leaders in the Mt Elgon landscape. The consultant completed field data collection, analyzed the data and embarked on compilation of a report and a capacity building plan. First drafts of the report and capacity building plan were submitted to the TWG for review. The TWG provided comments/input to the report and capacity building plan. The consultant incorporated comments/input of the TWG into the report and capacity building plan and submitted the second drafts for review by the TWG. The TWG reviewed the second drafts and provided comments/input to enable the consultant finalized the report and capacity building plan. The consultant incorporated the comments/input of the TWG into the report and capacity building plan and submitted a final report and capacity building plan.

Finalization of a report on institutional and organizational assessment of existing structures (Mt. Elgon Stakeholder Forum, Catchment Management Committees). IUCN engaged a consultant to carry out institutional and organizational assessment of the Mt Elgon Stakeholders Forum and catchment management committees to identify capacity gaps and develop a capacity-building plan. First drafts of the report and capacity building plans were reviewed by the TWG and comments/input provided. Comments/input from the TWG enabled the consultant to produce and submit a second report and capacity building plans for review by the TWG. The TWG reviewed the second drafts and provided comments/input that enabled the consultant to submit the final report and capacity building plans.

Engagement of a consultant to carry out a review of governance, enforcement of laws and compliance monitoring at landscape level. The consultant to review governance, enforcement of laws and regulatory environment in the Mt. Elgon landscape and develop a compliance and/or enforcement strategy and Monitoring Framework has been selected through a procurement process. At the time of writing this report however, the consultant had not signed the contract.