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Promoting Sustainable environmental conservation and Climate adaptations in Pastoralist communities of Uganda

Contextual Analysis.

Uganda’s Rangelands, which are predominantly occupied by pastoralists and support over 70% of the national livestock population, are increasingly under threat due to climate change, land degradation, and unsustainable grazing practices. More than 80% of Rangeland areas in Uganda have experienced ecosystem degradation, reducing pasture availability and water sources for pastoralist communities due to prolonged droughts and floods. These climate shocks have also led to deaths of pastoralists’ animals, caused food insecurity, and conflicts over natural resources, disproportionately affecting women and youth.

RIWE_AFRICA’s interventions.

RIWE_AFRICA’s Environment program focuses on promoting climate adaptation, rangeland conservation, and sustainable resource management to protect pastoralist livelihoods. Our interventions focus on community-led conservation efforts, disaster risk reduction, and climate-smart solutions that build resilience against environmental shocks. We advocate for sustainable grazing practices, the protection of communal land rights, and the integration of indigenous knowledge in climate action policies. We also work with local communities, environmental experts, and governments to develop sustainable land management practices and support reforestation. Our approach includes knowledge-sharing, community training, and the promotion of eco-friendly livelihoods that support the conservation of natural resources while improving community resilience to climate-induced disasters. We encourage collaborative decision-making and community-based resource management that ensures the long-term sustainability of the environment.

To ensure sustainable environmental conservation and climate adaptation, RIWE_AFRICA works with pastoralist community leaders, particularly those in climate-sensitive areas where environmental degradation poses significant risks to livelihoods and food security. Special attention is given to women and youth, as they are often on the frontlines of environmental change and can be powerful agents of climate action and sustainability in these rangeland communities.

Current Environmental Projects.

CLIMATE CARE FUND (CCF) PROJECT


Project Title: Climate Care Fund (CCF)

Implementation Status:
December 2024 – Ongoing

Donor/Support Base:
Community Contributions through VSLAs and Technical Support from RIWE_AFRICA

Other Partners:

  • Village Savings Loans Association (VSLA) Groups
  • Ntoroko District Environment Office

Geographic Coverage:
Ntoroko District


Target Population:
Pastoralist Women and Youth groups, VSLA groups.

PROJECT GOAL

To strengthen climate resilience and preparedness among pastoralist communities through a community-owned climate restoration and adaptation financing integrated within local savings groups.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

  1. To enhance community-led climate action by empowering VSLA groups to invest in locally identified climate solutions.
  2. To restore degraded rangelands and improve ecosystems through environmental restoration efforts and anti-deforestation campaigns.
  3. To promote local climate governance by equipping youth and women leaders with skills to mobilize and lead environmental conservation efforts.
  4. To integrate technology and green innovations that reduce pressure on natural resources and enhance long-term climate adaptation.

DETAILED PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Pastoralist Communities in Uganda’s cattle corridor face severe climate shocks, including prolonged droughts, seasonal floods, and rapidly degrading rangelands. These shocks undermine livestock production, threaten food security, deepen household poverty, and increase vulnerability among women and youth pastoralists.

Unsustainable practices such as bush burning, charcoal burning, illegal logging, and overgrazing accelerate the crisis. Communities urgently need locally driven, low-cost, accessible solutions that respond to both environmental and financial vulnerabilities.

To address this, RIWE_AFRICA, in partnership with community VSLA groups, co-created the Climate Care Fund (CCF), a community-owned climate financing model to support climate restoration and adaptation efforts.

How the Climate Care Fund (CFC) Works

Each member in a community VSLA voluntarily contributes UGX 500 weekly dedicated climate care fund. Normally, each VSLA has a membership of 25-30 members, implying that each VSLA group collects about UGX 5,5000 ($16) to UGX 65,000 ($19). The groups nominate the Climate Care Fund Management Committee, responsible for the allocation, planning, and monitoring of the fund, and give accountability to other members monthly.

The fund is used to finance practical, locally prioritized climate solutions, making it a sustainable and scalable grassroots model.

Key Attributions of the Climate Care Fund

  1. Areas Supported by the Climate Care FunAgroforestry & Reforestation: The CCF enables VSLA groups to buy tree seedlings and plant them on farms (Agroforestry), and sometimes in boundaries to support fencing on animal farms, and in public spaces (schools, churches, hospitals). This improves soil fertility, increases crop yields, household shade, and overall ecosystem restoration
  2. Establishment of Pasture Gardens & Silage Production: The CCF supports planting improved pasture species such as Chloris gayana, Brachiaria, and Napier grass to increase access to improved animal feeds and reduce pressure on pasture through overgrazing.  Group members are trained in silage-making, allowing them to store feed for drought seasons, hence improving Livestock health, milk production, and Household income
  3. Community-Led Awareness and Rangeland Restoration: The fund supports youth and women leaders to conduct sensitization activities on Rotational grazing, Destocking, Tree planting, and rangeland restoration and anti-bush burning campaigns. These dialogues shift community behaviour and revive degraded landscapes.
  4. Construction of Community Dams for Water Harvesting: The CCF co-finances the construction of small-scale community dams for Organized community member groups, while the community members also contribute 40–50% of construction costs. These dams provide water for families and livestock during dry seasons, Support kitchen gardens, and reduce drought-related losses. Communities nominate dam management committees to oversee and ensure proper maintenance.
  5. Technology Integration for Advanced Climate Adaptation: The CCF is evolving to incorporate green energy innovations, including Solar-powered clean cookstoves and Biogas digesters for cooking and lighting. This reduces dependency on fuelwood, Charcoal use, pressure on forests, household energy costs, and Carbon emissions. This positions CCF as a climate-smart innovation.
 
To learn more about the Climate Care Fund, download the Manual here.