The influx of refugees from neighbouring countries continues to put pressure on the already worn-out settlement. To a large extent, refugees have contributed to the degradation of the environment in Nakivale. Living conditions within the settlements are often characterized by limited resources resulting in heavy reliance on the environment. Refugee movements tend to produce uncontrolled modifications for example trees are being cut down to create space for shelter, farmland and wood fuel at the rate at which the environment cannot replenish.

The project acknowledges that the degradation of existing forests, woodlands and wetlands/riverbanks caused by refugees and host communities jeopardizes their ability to support and sustain ecological functioning and community well-being.

Through assisting in the restoration of degraded forests, woodlands, wetlands, and other vulnerable ecosystems, the initiative is projected to improve the flow of ecosystem services and products and increase the resilience of refugee-hosting communities and refugees to climate change.

Additionally, the project strengthens the collective responsibility of various stakeholders, including the Office of the Prime Minister Department of Refugees (OPM/DOR) and the Isingiro local government) and non-state actors (including private sector players and civil society organizations within and outside Nakivale) for the sustainable management and protection of natural resources.

The project also assists households through community-based groups (Village Savings and Loans Association-VSLAs) with knowledge and skills to practice sustainable land management practices like agroforestry, climate-smart agriculture, and establishment of woodlots for long-term energy needs, beekeeping and increase land productivity, and vegetation cover.

The overall objective of the project is to improve refugees and host communities’ livelihoods and ecosystem protection, through three specific objectives, namely:

• Restore degraded and underutilized hills and other fragile ecosystems impacted by human activities in Nakivale Refugee settlement.

• Support land owners in host communities to establish agroforestry enterprises and adapt Sustainable Land Management (SLM) practices.

• Build the capacity of local communities for effective uptake of climate change mitigation and environmental conservation measures.