PROJECT IDENTIFICATION FORM (PIF)
PROJECT TYPE: MEDIUM-SIZE PROJECT
TYPE OF TRUST FUND: GEF Trust Fund
PART I: PROJECT IDENTIFICATION
Project Title:
Integrated Landscape Management for Improved Livelihoods and Ecosystem Resilience in Mount
Elgon
Country(ies):
GEF Agency(ies):
Other Executing Partner(s):
Uganda
UNDP
Implementing partner: Ministry of Agriculture,
Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF)
Other partners: Ministry of Water and Environment,
Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development,
National Agricultural Research Organisation, Busitema
University, National Environment Management
Authority (NEMA), and three District Local
Governments
MULTI-FOCAL AREA (CCM, LD)
N/A
GEF Focal Area (s):
Name of parent program (if
applicable): SFM
GEF Project ID:
GEF Agency Project ID:
Submission Date:
1st Resubmission Date
2nd Resubmission Date
5718
4634
6th March 2014
19th March 2014
May 13th, 2014
Project Duration(Months)
Agency Fee ($):
36 months
153,930
A. FOCAL AREA STRATEGY FRAMEWORK:
Focal Area
Objectives
LD-3
Expected FA Outcomes
Expected FA Outputs
Outcome 3.1: Enhanced enabling environment between
sectors in support of SLM
Outcome 3.2: Good management practices in the wider
landscape demonstrated
CCM5
Outcome 5.2: Restoration and enhancement of carbon
stocks in forest and non-forests lands, including peatlands
Outcome 5.3: GHG emissions avoided and carbon
sequestrated
Indicative funding Indicative cofrom GEF ($)
financing ($)
Government agencies collaborating on
SLM initiatives across sectors and at
multiple scales
Information on SLM (wider landscape)
technology and good practices
disseminated
Number and types of investment sources
in SLM from successfully tested
sustainable finance reflow schemes
Output 5.2: Forest and non-forest lands
under good management practices
Sub-total
Project management cost
Total project costs
35,000
143,500
55,000
253,000
715,718
3,632,800
596,136
2,762,900
141,308
512,000
1,543,162
77,158
1,620,320
7,304,200
325,800
7,630,000
B. PROJECT FRAMEWORK
Project Objective: To empower communities in Mount Elgon to manage their production landscapes in an integrated manner for improved
livelihoods and ecosystem resilience.
Project
Component
Integrated
Landscape
Planning and
Management
Ty
pe
Expected Outcomes
TA Reduced land degradation over
approximately 29,800 ha in 4
severely degraded districts (to
be confirmed during the PPG)1
resulting in better provision of
ecosystem services such as
flood control, forage
production, and carbon
sequestration as a result of
improved land-use planning,
evidenced by 15-20% increases
Expected Outputs
Indicative GEF
financing ($)
Indic. cofinancing
($)
213,411
1,422,200
1.1 Integrated Land Use Plans enable SLM uptake in Mbale,
Manafwa and Bulambuli districts
1.2 Ordinances and Bye-Laws providing instruction on soil and
water conservation measures to be applied in sloping areas
developed and implemented in the 3 Districts paving the way
for a transformative change in land-use practices in Mount
Elgon: including ensuring clauses in the land use policy that
extend land occupiers user rights
1.3 A System for effective monitoring and enforcement of the
land use plans in place including clear delineation of roles and
responsibilities among key local Government actors. District
1
Target is estimated based on Total area of the 3 districts which is 12,4500 ha. On average, 60% of land in the 3 districts is degraded (0.6* 124500= 74700ha. If we take
40% of this as target, it comes to 29,800ha – Exact area will be determined during the PPG phase).
1
Uganda: Mt Elgon Landscape
Project
Component
Ty
pe
Expected Outcomes
in the LD Tracking Tool.
Increase in carbon
sequestration or reduction in
emissions evidenced by project
monitoring (Indicators to be
selected during PPG).
Indicative GEF
financing ($)
Expected Outputs
Indic. cofinancing
($)
staff will be capacitated to enforce the new land use
regulations, and manage the participatory process of
developing the Community resource and land use plans.
1.4 Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change
Mitigation mainstreamed into District Development Plans and
Enhanced local capacities for
enforcement of sustainable
forest and land management
and climate change mitigation
in the Mt. Elgon Landscape,
evidenced by a 25% increase in
the UNDP-GEF Capacity
Development Scorecard
Demonstration
of Options to
reverse land
degradation,
reduce GHG
emissions and
empower
communities
TA. Improved land management
reversing ecosystem
degradation over an area of
29,800 hectares, evidenced by
decreased soil erosion and
increase in fodder production.
(Baselines to be determined at
PPG stage)
Improved forest cover over
5,000 ha through assisted
natural regeneration and
reforestation in forests, tree
crops including coffee and
agroforestry systems2 resulting
in emission reductions of
approximately 24,142 tC/y.
(see calculations in Table
Figures to be verified with
precision at PPG stage)
2.1 Individual Farm plans and SFM activities implemented in 4
districts. The plans will be developed with each landowner or
community in line with the community resource maps.(Details
to be further clarified during the PPG phase).
2.2 X ha of land put under conservation agricultural practices
including minimum tillage soil cover maintenance to reduce
soil erosion and less frequency of opening land for cultivation
2.3 Soil erosion monitored at select sites in Manafwa district
(sites to be selected in collaboration with NARO3during PPG)
2.4 A Monitoring system and established and used to estimate
emission reduced from further encroachment of forests,
clearing and increase in storage from reforestation.
1,329,751
2.5 A Site specific monitoring system for carbon monitoring
established-in line with country agriculture NAMA
5,882,000
2.6 X ha reforested and managed for sustainable fuelwood
harvesting.
2.7 Communities collectively engaged and capacitated to
implement SLM to reverse land degradation and to access and
utilize energy efficient technologies to conserve biomass and
reduce GHG emissions
2.8 Best Practice guidelines developed, disseminated and
training conducted in 3 Districts. [These may include criteria
for assessing the state of land and natural resources4 for the
purposes of land use decision making].
Project management cost
Total project costs
77,158
325,800
1,620,320
7,630,000
C. INDICATIVE CO-FINANCING FOR THE PROJECT BY SOURCE AND BY NAME IF AVAILABLE, ($)
Sources
Government Contribution
Government Contribution
GEF Agency
Multi-lateral agencies
Local Governments/Districts
Total Co-financing
Name of Co-financier
Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries
National Agricultural Advisory Services
UNDP-Country Programme
Donor consortium5
3 Target Districts
Type of Co-financing
Grant
Grant
Grant
Grant
Grant
Amount ($)
550,000
1,309,250
2,680,000
2,990,750
100,000
7,630,000
2
The Socio-economic feasibility assessment for a proposed carbon management scheme for rural communities in Mt Elgon districts of Mbale, Manafwa identified
agroforestry as a viable intervention through integration of indigenous trees into agricultural landscapes like home gardens, farm boundaries, croplands, and riverbanks
3
The National Agricultural Research Organisation is monitoring soil erosion around the country.
4
Condition of land could be assessed based on criteria determining its resilience, provisioning of ecosystems services and economic value of land.
5
These donors are contributing to the Agriculture sector – they include FAO, World Bank, European Commission and others. They are funding the Government’s
Agriculture Development Strategy and Investment Plan which is part of this project’s baseline. The objective of the strategy is to inter alia increase the agricultural
productivity and incomes of participating households by improving the performance of agricultural research and advisory services. At the same time, it seeks to enhance
environmental sustainability and resilience to climate risks and land degradation
2
Uganda: Mt Elgon Landscape
D. GEF RESOURCES REQUESTED BY AGENCY, FOCAL AREA AND COUNTRY1
GEF AGENCY
UNDP
UNDP
TYPE OF
TRUST FUND
GEF
GEF
FOCAL AREA
Climate Change Mitigation
Land Degradation
Country name
Uganda
Uganda
Grant amount
(a)
733,586
886,734
Total GEF Resources
1
Agency Fee (b)
1,620,320
Total c=a+b
69,114
84,816
802,700
971,550
153,930
1,774,250
In case of a single focal area, single country, single GEF Agency project, and single trust fund project, no need to provide information for this table
E.

PROJECT PREPARATION GRANT (PPG)
(up to) $50k for projects up to & including $1 million
Amount
Requested ($)
_50,000________
Agency Fee
for PPG ($)
___4,750_____
PPG Amount requested by agency(ies), focal area(s) and country(ies) for MFA and/or MTF project only
(in $)
Country Name/
Trust Fund
GEF Agency
Focal Area
Agency
Total
Global
PPG (a)
Fee (b)
c=a+b
GEF TF
UNDP
CCM
Uganda
15,000
2,000
17,000
GEF TF
UNDP
LD
Uganda
35,000
2,750
37,750
Total PPG Amount
50,000
4,750
54,750
PART II: PROJECT JUSTIFICATION
A. PROJECT OVERVIEW:
1. At 4,000km² Mt. Elgon has the largest volcanic base in the world. Located on the Uganda-Kenya border it is also the oldest and largest solitary,
volcanic mountain in East Africa. Its vast form, 80km in diameter, rises more than 3,000m above the surrounding plains. The mountain’s cool heights
offer respite from the hot plains below, with the higher altitudes providing a refuge for flora and fauna. The Mount Elgon landscape comprises 221,401
ha of protected areas that are home to 22 mammals and 13 bird species listed by IUCN as globally threatened. Of these, 9 species are endemic such as
Elgon Teak (Olea capensis). Owing to the rarity of some of its bird species, the region has been given the status of an Important Bird Area (IBA). Mt
Elgon is also the water tower for both Uganda and Kenya, serving as a catchment area for drainage systems of Lakes Victoria, Turkana and Kyoga with its
many tributaries draining into the major rivers that lead to large water bodies before finally joining the River Nile System. (
2. A large portion of the landscape (over 50%6) is now deforested land, occupied by agriculture and human settlements. The landscape can be divided
into two topographic zones (an upland zone and a lower zone). The Upland zone is characterized by intensive coffee and maize farming. The Lower zone
is characterised by smaller farms where the main crops are beans, yams and onions. About 90% of the cultivated land is used for subsistence crops, 7% for
cash crops and 3% for fruit crops. 86% of farmers own less than 1 ha of land of which 97% use all the available land for crops and livestock production.
3. Forest cover in the Mt Elgon landscape has reduced from 90% in 1960 to virtually 0% below 2000m by 2010. Recent figures from the World Bank for
2011 put the national forest cover at only 14.5% of total land area, down from 18.9% in 2001 and 23.3% in 1991. A study in Manafwa district noted that
the most significant trends in land use between 1995 and 2006 were 12%, 31% and 61% increases in deforestation on land with 10-19º, 20-29º and >30º
slope, respectively, indicating rapid movement from the lower slopes into the upper slopes of the mountain. 7 The Manafwa study also noted that natural
forests were nonetheless still a key economic resource for over 50% of the rural population (the other 50% being too far from the remaining forest for
regular collection to be feasible). The main products collected are fuel wood, poles, vegetables (including mushrooms), bamboo stems and bamboo shoots.
In the landscape as a whole, 31% of the population obtain income from selling firewood (mostly collected from inside the Mt. Elgon National Park under
collaborative management agreements with the Park Authority –(Uganda Wildlife Authority). However, the declining availability of fuel wood has driven
38% of the rural population to start using on-farm fuel wood resources (mostly purchased as few farmers have sufficient land to establish their own wood
lots).8
4. Insecure land tenure is a major driver of land degradation. Those who do own land have very small land patches for subsistence, fuel wood, grazing
etc. There is increasing pressure on the land to accommodate a population that is still rising at the rate of 3.4% per year. Around 70% of the population is
under the age of 18: most will not have employment options other than subsistence farming and thus will be requiring their own land. There is an inherent
danger that this increasing pressure for land will a) impact negatively on land use planning, such as causing trees to be cut for fuel wood before maturing
and b) increase encroachment into the upper protected watersheds. 20% of farmers who have no legal title to their land are farming in the upper slopes.
Land tenure also drives land degradation by creating uncertainty regarding the possibility of reaping the long term benefits of investing in sustainable land
management practices and structures, particularly terracing on the slopes and tree planting. There are two forms of land users, the land occupiers with user
rights but no appropriation rights, and the legal land title owners that have both user and appropriation rights. The legal title owners are interested in
6
Exact Figure to be confirmed during PPG phase.
Mugagga, F., 2011, Land use change, landslide occurrence and livelihood strategies on Mt Elgon slopes, eastern Uganda, PhD thesis
8
Buyinza, M. and Teera J., 2008, Environmental Incomes and Wealth Equalization Effects among Communities Adjacent to Mt. Elgon National Park, Eastern Uganda,
Environmental Research Journal, 2, 60 - 69
7
3
Uganda: Mt Elgon Landscape
maintaining integrity of their land and its productivity but they are also weary of encroachers that may with time become very difficult to evict from the
land. It is the reason they do not allow them to plant perennial crops when they rent them land or have them as tenants on such land. On the other hand
occupiers have short term plans and want to exploit the land for quick benefits mainly because of uncertainty regarding when they would be evicted by the
owners. This fear of eviction and reluctance to invest time or money into their land, creates conflict between the short-term objectives of land occupiers
and the management objectives of long term land owners by day. So land occupiers mine the soil and degrade it because their objectives are short term
only. Moreover, many land occupiers do not know with certainty the provisions of the National land policy which give them some degree of tenure
security and so they act out of ignorance. The legal title owners take advantage of this to prohibit planting of perennial crops like coffee, bananas and
trees.
5. Soil erosion is a big threat in the landscape. Almost all farmers in sloping areas report soil erosion problems, with 84% reporting recent drops in crop
quality and yield due to soil erosion. With the exception of terracing, which is applied as a necessary measure by many farmers on steeper slopes, the use
of soil conservation measures is very limited, particularly on the upper slopes where it is most needed. There are several studies documenting the impact
of land use change in the Mt. Elgon landscape focusing on soil properties.9 Some of the studies show that land use change is affecting the soil carbon
stocks in the landscape. Comparative analysis of intense flooding areas with land use change impacts versus areas with soil and water conservation
practices showed that annual erosion was 52tons/ha/year compared to about 1ton/ha/year (Bamutaze et al. 2008). This means that there are clear
dividends to be gained through minimizing the excessive impacts of land use change. When soil erosion has been slowed; then GHG mitigation levels can
increase and other ecosystem benefits from watershed services and biodiversity conservation can be enhanced.
6. Uganda’s mountain regions have been noted to be particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts due the people’s dependence on the services
provided by the ecosystems and their lack of capacity to adapt to the climate changes. The Mt Elgon region has especially been singled out as needing
protection as it is an important biodiversity area and a water tower for both Uganda and Kenya. Furthermore, Mt. Elgon serves as a catchment area for the
drainage systems of the three lakes: Victoria, Turkana and Kyoga. Mount Elgon landscape is already experiencing adverse effects of climate changes like
erratic rains, drought, famine, floods and landslides. As the average temperature is expected to increase between 0.70C and 1.50C by 2020, the regularity
of these hazards is also expected to increase resulting in negative environmental and socio-economic consequences.
7. According to Uganda’s First National Communication to the UNFCCC, the key GHG is CO2.. Together agriculture and land use change and forestry
emit a significant amount of GHG (see table below). Within agriculture agricultural waste burning and savannah burning constitute a large portion of the
total emission from the sector. In LUCF, clearing and on-site burning as well as grassland conversion are the major sources.
Table 1: Summary of Emissions and Removals in the Land Use Sector
(Source: Extracted from Uganda’s First National Communication to the UNFCCC, 2002)
No
1
2
3
Source and Sink Category
Sub-Total Net Emission
Forest clearing and onsite
Burning of cleared forests
CO2
8.122
2,835.0
CH4
5.98
1.97
Grassland Conversion
Managed Forests
6.641
-1.354
4.01
N20
0.01
0.01
NOx
0.32
0.32
NMVOC
1.72
1.72
For agriculture and savannah burning, emissions were estimated from livestock, livestock manure, rice production, fertiliser use and burning of
agricultural wastes. For LUCF, land-use changes were linked with agricultural cultivation, livestock grazing, and various types of forest clearance and
managed forests (sinks and removals).
Project Baseline:
NATIONAL
8. Sustainable Land Management and Land Use Planning: The Government of Uganda’s investments in SLM are guided by its compact with the
Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP)10 which has been translated at the national level into the Agriculture sector
Development Strategy and Investment Plan (DSIP). CAADP has 4 pillars namely land and water management, market access, food supply and hunger and
agricultural research. The DSIP’s stated objectives are ensuring household food and nutrition security; increasing income of farming households, creating
on-farm and off-farm employment opportunities and improving value addition to agriculture products. Between 2001 and 2011, government funding for
the agriculture sector increased from approximately $54 million in 2001/02 to $148 million in 2012, rising from 3 to about 4.5% of the national budget.
The funds were spent mainly on agricultural research (11.8%), agricultural advisory services (18%), Uganda Coffee development Agency (0.4%), Uganda
Cotton Development Organisation (1.9%), MAAIF Headquarters 19.2%, and 48% on District local governments for agricultural extension and production
services. Marginal support was also provided to Uganda Cooperative Alliance, Uganda National Farmers Federation (UNFFE) and National Union of
coffee agri-business and farm enterprises (NUCAFE). Judging from these funding allocations, it would appear that the DSIP has focused mostly on
agricultural and advisory services and very little or nothing on specific SLM. The Strategic Investment framework for SLM has not been launched due to
lack of adequate funding. In regard to land Use Planning: The Government is in the process of preparing land use planning guidelines which will be
piloted in 2 districts. (but not in the Elgon landscape) There are also efforts underway to carry out land suitability mapping in South Western Uganda and
in the central cattle corridor districts. However, none of these activities are planned for the Mount Elgon Area.
9
(Nantumbwe 2005), soil erosion (Bamutaze, 2004), landslides (Kitutu, 2002), and forest plant communities and natural vegetation types (Mark, 2000); Bingwa 2012; and
Tumwebaze et al. 2010).
10
CAADP represents African leaders' collective vision for agriculture in Africa. This ambitious and comprehensive vision for agricultural reform in Africa aims for an
average annual growth rate of 6 percent in agriculture by 2015.
4
Uganda: Mt Elgon Landscape
9. The Low Emission Capacity Building Project (2012-2014) funded by the EU aims at strengthening Uganda’s technical and institutional capacity in the
development of Green House Gas (GHG) inventory systems and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) with in-built Measuring, Reporting
and Verification (MRV) systems. The project focuses on developing NAMAs that have potential development benefits such as increased clean energy
generation and access, new technology investment opportunities, improved health, increased employment opportunities and overall economic growth and
poverty reduction. The project will also raise general knowledge and awareness on climate change and contribute to putting climate change issues higher
on the national agenda through strengthened cooperation and increased involvement of relevant stakeholders. It will also strengthen and build national
capacities for participation in different mechanisms related to low emission development and fulfilling Uganda’s commitments to the UNFCCC and
regional climate change initiatives. The project is supporting development of NAMAs for livestock and agriculture. Some of the interventions being
proposed include promoting the sustainable management of rangelands to reduce GHG emissions from soil and land degradation. When completed, the
NAMAs will inform the proposed project’s interventions
10. Design and Development of Robust Systems for National Forest Monitoring and Information on Safeguards for Uganda’s REDD+ Activities.
Following the approval of Uganda REDD+ Readiness Preparation Proposal (R-PP) in 2011, the World Bank has given the Government of Uganda a grant
of US$3.63 million for development of a robust forest monitoring system for the measurement, monitoring, reporting and verification of REDD+
activities. The Australian Development Corporation has also approved contribution of 651,000 EUR towards the initiative. This includes: a national
forest monitoring system for emissions and removals of greenhouse gases due to avoided deforestation and forest degradation, enhancement of forest
carbon stocks, conservation and sustainable management of forests; and a system for providing information on how safeguards are being addressed
throughout the implementation of REDD-plus activities. The system will also include of non-carbon aspects that the country shall define as its priorities in
its monitoring system. These priority aspects could include key quantitative or qualitative variables representing rural livelihoods enhancement,
conservation of biodiversity, key governance factors directly pertinent to REDD-plus implementation in the country, and the impacts of the REDD-plus
strategy on the forest sector. The proposed project will inform and gain from the MRV system especially for forests and on ensuring safeguards
11. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Farmer Field School (FFS) and Agro-Pastoralist Field Schools (APFS) - FAO FFS and APFS
activities operate in over 3,000 sites throughout the country, although not in the districts targeted in this project. Activities related to this project include:
Piloting Conservation Agriculture for improved land management and livelihoods of smallholder farmers; Land use planning using application of the
FAO-LADA-WOCAT tool; Trainings on rural energy (energy saving stoves), forestry (tree nurseries and SFM principles) and SLM for FFS and APFS
groups. More recently as part of separate initiative FAO Uganda has introduced new mapping technologies in Uganda that will help the country generate
more useful and detailed forestry statistics and land cover maps. The new tools and information will help the government monitor national forest resources
and make informed decisions regarding long-term forestry and investment policies, as well as avoid unintended forest conversion and the degradation of
the productive and protective functions of forests (this funding came after preparation of the GEF submission and so is not counted as co-finance but is
nonetheless factored into the design of the project). This project will work with FAO to explore how some of these tools can be used for
implementing the proposed interventions in land use planning, conservation agriculture and others
MT ELGON LANDSCAPE:
12. Sustainable Land Management and Land Use Planning: Due to two major landslides in Mount Elgon over the past two years, investments from
Government have focussed on relocating and resettling people, and not much on sustainable land management. .The National Policy for Disaster
Preparedness and Management lists policy actions to manage landslides – including afforestation and application of appropriate farming technologies and
land use practices. However, according to recent studies11, two policy actions appear to have been implemented at the district level. (i) Gazetting landslide
and mudslide prone areas and prohibiting settlement in such risk areas and (ii) Resettling all persons living in land/mudslide prone areas. The national
SLM Investment framework has not reached the districts and therefore it is not integrated into district development plans. Land Use Planning has not
been prioritised at the district level. This is also attributed partly to lack of capacity and the urgent nature of other issues such as landslides. Planning tools
like maps and databases that could assist in land use planning are non-existent at the district level. Furthermore, there are currently no land use or
disaster/landslide management and preparedness plans.
13. Attempts to mainstream Climate Change Mitigation into the Elgon regional plans have already started by the drawing on the “Integrated Territorial
Climate Plan for Mbale region, 2014-2029”(ITCP) 12. The recently ended Territorial Approach to Climate Change (TACC) was funded by UNDP, DFID
and DANIDA built capacity for low-carbon and climate change-resilient local development, primarily through training of Government officials on
integrating climate change concerns in multi-sectoral development planning and mobilizing resources and political commitment towards climate change
management. The end result was an Integrated Territorial Climate Plan that (ITCP) that highlighted approaches for integrating climate change adaptation
and mitigation strategies into Elgon region development planning. These include Sustainable intensification of annual crop production systems; Climate
resilient coffee production; Researching and developing innovative climate resilient production systems; Agroforestry; Reducing fuel-wood consumption
with improved cook stoves; and Reforestation and sustainable use of forest resources.None of the ITCP has yet been implemented. This project will
support implementation of major parts of the the ITCP by collectively engaging communities and capacitating them to implement some of the
activities proposed by the ITCP (some of which listed under component 2)
14. Last but not least, the on-going One million trees aims to plant one million trees in order to minimize the landslide risk in the region. The project also
aims to raise the awareness of the local communities regarding to the advantages of tree planting in order to increase climate change resilience. In addition
to the tree planting, the project aims to assist five coffee cooperatives in the region to grow shade trees to protect coffee crops; support over 30 villages to
establish tree nurseries; and to work with over 1,600 families. The project is being implemented in three districts bordering the Mt. Elgon: Mbale,
Manafwa and Bududa districts (Size of Wales 2012). There is scope to partner with this project especially in regard to the afforestation activities in
the project target sites. The proposed project will not reinvent the wheel but ensure that in addition to afforestation, shade coffee, bananas are
planted as perennial food and cash crops, deterring the need for further opening of land for agriculture (which is currently done seasonally
because of dependency of more annual crops for food and income). This will complement this project’s support to cooperatives and improve
11
12
Feasibility Study Report; Mt Elgon Landslide Information Needs; October 2012; Rannveig Knutsdatter Formo and Bernardas Padegimas
UNDP, 2013, Integrated Territorial Climate Plan for the Mbale region of Uganda, prepared by the Territorial Approach to Climate Change (TACC) project.
5
Uganda: Mt Elgon Landscape
livelihoods.
THE GEF ALTERNATIVE
16. The above baseline, though substantial, is not adequate to address the challenges at hand. The combination of near total loss of forest, little attention to
soil conservation and high population density on steep mountain slopes present a catastrophic mix that must be addressed As stated in Uganda’s First
National Communication, the highest level of GHG emissions are from land-use changes linked with agricultural waste burning and savannah burning
plus, various types of forest clearance and biomass burned for energy,. A number of mitigation measures are proposed but none of them are focussed on
reducing GHG emissions from burning or reversing the high levels of deforestation for fuel wood. . The alternative being proposed by this project is an
Integrated SLM Approach that entails developing a range of sustainable land management options suitable even for small land patches that would
improve land management and reverse the current rate of land clearing for agriculture. This will in turn reduce GHG emissions from burning. It should be
noted that most if not all of the burning is associated with clearing land for agriculture. Overall emission from burning and clearing is higher and need to
be addressed. Land degradation and climate change mitigation needs to be addressed at the level of individual farms through land use options that reduce
the danger of soil erosion and mitigate the negative impacts from climate change. This will require individual farmers to collaborate and engage in a
collective manner in order to effect change. The project would therefore also focus on Community Empowerment.
Barriers to Achieving the GEF Alternative
Barrier
Weak enabling environment
for
sustainable
land
management and Climate
Change Mitigation
Elaboration
Land use planning in general is very weak. There are no district and local land use plans which makes it difficult for
the districts and lower authorities to coordinate land management approaches, and provide coherent support and
advice to communities. Even though some local environmental ordinances and byelaws have clauses relating to the
use of land on steep slopes, they are not properly enforced. There are also varied and unclear processes for land
tenure. Land titles which are the most legally binding are not easy for most small holders to obtain.
Secondly, Natural resources have not been systematically mapped to show where problems are and where
opportunities for SLM exist. Areas are not classified according to the degree of degradation, and as such land use
does not take into account the ecosystem values and ecosystem carrying capacity or consider the long-term resilience
of the resource base on which communities rely.
Third, the Strategic Investment framework for SLM that was developed to guide implementation of SLM activities
has not bee mainstreamed into the district development plans. Therefore, there is no funding and implementation
mechanism for SLM at the district level.
Fourth: institutional frameworks and knowledge networks that offer a starting point for addressing the climate change
challenges and to realize mitigation potentials; are not adequate given the extent of climate change vulnerability and
emissions(please verify) of the region
Limited knowledge on how to
implement Sustainable Land
Management and CCM
There is limited access to extension services, limited or no innovation in land use management, and no incentives to
improve land use practices. Non-application of sustainable land use practices is the driven by limited ‘knowhow’ and
technical capabilities to do so. There is a need to demonstrate how this can be done in practice, covering a diversity
of farms (large and small, uphill and downhill, small cattle / large cattle / mixture, etc.). Such demonstration has not
been yet available in the Mount Elgon landscape.
INCREMENTAL BENEFITS
17. Land Degradation: The project will facilitate a transformative shift from unsustainable to integrated sustainable land management in an area
identified by the Government of Uganda as a high priority for interventions to prevent land degradation and reduce risks of natural disasters. The project
recognises that there are many drivers of degradation of ecosystems in Mt Elgon. However, there are key underlying issues behind these drivers – and
these are the ones that the project will address given the limited amount of resources. One of them is poor land use planning or lack there of, and the other
is insecure land tenure. Proper mapping of community resources and developing land use plans based on those resources will ensure and use takes into
account the ecosystem values and ecosystem carrying capacity. Addressing land tenure insecurity will incentivize communities to invest in SLM
activities that ensure the long term resilience of the resource base on which they rely. Soil erosion and forest cover will be addressed in the process. These
project interventions, coupled with the many other interventions underway by Government other projects, will go along way in addresing the above
barriers.The GEF funding will support local governments and communities to introduce a range of innovative and economically viable land use options
that reverse the rate of land degradation on the mountain slopes in a critical disaster-prone landscape. Mt Elgon lies in the Eastern Afromontane
Biodiversity Hotspot. It supports a rich variety of altitudinal vegetation zones ranging from montane forest to high open moorland. Major biomes include
the Guinea–Congo Forests biome and Afrotropical highland biome. Vegetation types include upper montane, montane, submontane and lowland forests,
with Afromontane grassland. (Specific GEBs for the Land degradation Focal area will be defined during the PPG phase).
18. Climate Change Mitigation: The major causes of GHG emissions in the Elgon region are: (a) Deforestation for fuel wood (cooking energy) and (b)
Land use change - clearing land to create space for agriculture. Until the recent past, these two major causes of emission were concentrated at the base of
the mountains, mainly driven by the growing population and the fact that it is at the foot of the mountain where technologies mainly for agriculture were
more applicable, and the soils more fertile. Consequently, baseline investments have largely targeted the lowlands, leaving the highlands more vulnerable
than ever before. With the growth in population, resources at the mountain foot were exhausted and degraded and competition for them increased
significantly, forcing people to move into the higher mountains and encroach on even the national forest reserves. Remaining acreage of these intact areas
6
Uganda: Mt Elgon Landscape
was estimated at 49,382 ha as of 200513. This project is addressing these sources of emissions in the highlands - a gap that has not been covered by the
scope and targets of the baseline projects.
19. Global benefits in the climate change focal area will be achieved by restoring vegetation at 5,000 ha, resulting in enhancement of carbon stocks by at
least 24,242 tC/y. A provisional calculation (based on two dominant tree species) of the carbon benefits is depicted in the table below and will be verified
with precision at the PPG stage.
Table 2: Estimate of Carbon Benefits from restoring 5000 ha with Grevillla and Albizia
Grevillea
robusta
Mean annual
increment, cubic meters
per ha
Basic wood
density, tonnes
of oven-dry
matter per
cubic meter of
green biomass,
Source: Arboles Utiles
de la Región Tropical de
América Del Norte
By Russell M. Burns,
Menandra Mosquera,
Jacob L. Whitmore,
United States. Forest
Service, North American
Forestry Commission,
Canada. Natural
Resources Canada
Source:
http://jtropag.i
n/index.php/ojs
/article/viewFil
e/164/152
14.5
0.478
Dry matter
increment,
td
m/ha/year
12
6.931
IPCC
0.52
Above +
below
ground
increment,
t.d.m/ha/y
IPCC Vol
2
AFOLU,
GPG,
Table
4.4
Albizia spp
Source:
http://planvivo.org/wpcontent/uploads/MOZTSboundaryplanting.pdf
Root to
shoot
ratio
6.24
Default
IPCC
Carbon
Fraction
Above + below
ground
increment,
tC/ha/y
Total area
over which
the species
will be
planted, ha
Above + below
ground
increment,
tC/area/y
5.081809
2,500
12704.52
4.575168
2,500
11437.92
IPCC
AFOLU
VOL 2,
Table 4.3
0.56
IPCC Vol
2
AFOLU,
GPG,
Table
4.4
10.81236
0.56
9.7344
0.47
IPCC
AFOLU
VOL 2,
Table 4.3
Total
0.47
24142.44
Consultations will be carried out during the PPG with soil experts to provide more details on the soil carbon conservation.We do not anticipate any
leakage as the project will not be engaged in any activities that involve withdrawing land or forest from production and putting it under protection.
However, further analysis will be done during the PPG to verify this.
The project will secure global environmental benefits through 2 components:
i.
ii.
Integrated Landscape Planning and Management
Options to reverse land degradation, reduce GHG emissions and empower communities
Component 1: Integrated Landscape Planning and Management
20. This component focuses on addressing the barrier related to deficiencies in land use planning, regulatory and policy environment and enforcement
capacity gaps (Barrier 1). This component will start by supporting communities to map their natural resources. Community resource maps will be
developed in 9 sub countries in 3 districts identifying location of natural resources, degradation status, GHG emissions status and opportunities where
interventions to reverse land degradation and reduce GHG mitigation s would provide maximum yields including opportunities for GHG storage. Land
use plans will be developed in line with these maps – and the recently completed Integrated Territorial Climate Plan. The options will be in line with what
the districts have already identified in the Integrated Territorial Climate Plan, and what the Government has identified in the resettlement programs for
communities in disaster prone sites. Land use plans (informed by the maps) will then be developed in at least 3 sub-counties that are highly degraded; and
last but not least, support will be given to district local Governments to develop ordinances and byelaws that would legally stipulate the application of
SLM and also, where necessary, the definition of “compulsory” actions that need to be implemented by land users, for example, bye laws that provide
instruction on soil and water conservation measures to be applied in sloping areas. Last but not least, a system for effective monitoring and enforcement of
the land use plans will be put in place. Sanctions will be imposed in accordance with the byelaws, in cases where land use plans are not being complied
with. This enforcement system will be integrated within the overall administrative compliance mechanisms in the target districts. The roles and
responsibilities of key local Government actors involved in supervision and enforcement will be clearly defined and will ensure that the monitoring and
enforcement system draws on the expertise of all relevant actors and clearly allocates roles and responsibilities based on comparative advantage. Relevant
staff at the district level a will be trained to understand the SLM principles, and to enforce the regulations and organize the participatory process of
integrated land-use planning. This project will also ensure that the communities in the target site are able to take advantage of those clauses in the land
13
“LIVELIHOODS, NATURAL RESOURCE ENTITLEMENTS AND PROTECTED AREAS:THE CASE OF MT. ELGON FOREST IN KENYA” by Paul Ongugo, Jane
Njguguna, Emily Obonyo and Gordon Sigu, Kenya IFRI Collaborative Research centre, by 2005
7
Uganda: Mt Elgon Landscape
policy that allow them to utilize the land in a sustainable way. The project will also facilitate the incorporation of clauses into the bye laws that may
extend land occupiers’ user rights to allow them plant perennial tree crops. Last but not least, the districts will be supported to mainstream SLM into the
district development plans – in line with the SLM Investment Framework.
Component 2: Options to reverse land degradation, reduce GHG emissions and empower communities
21. This component will develop and demonstrate on-the-ground approaches to improving land and forest management and reducing GHG emissions
within a production landscape for further replication outside of the pilot districts. The SLM options will have been identified above with support from
component 1. The Integrated Territorial Climate Plan14 already identified SLM options such as: restoration of the coffee-banana inter-cropping system
that has been increasingly displaced by annual crops the cultivation of which has accelerated soil degradation 15, increasing coffee grown under shade trees
and promoting organic coffee production for value-adding. The plan also identified a suite of land-use options for carbon sequestration/emission reduction
benefits including dispersed inter-planting with Grevillea robusta and Maesopsis emini (useful as timber and for small branches/stakes as support for the
climbing plants such as beans), alley planting with Albizia spp, Grevillea and Cordia spp. as a soil conservation measure on steep slopes (reduces run-off,
acts as a wind break and enhances agricultural yields as a result of maintenance and increase of soil fertility). Also identified are soil erosion control
technologies such as the use of legumes in crop rotation; mulching; terracing with trenches; to mention a few. More details on some of the options are
described below:
Climate resilient coffee production: Both coffee and banana plantations are prevalent in the higher areas and steep slopes of the region. Masiga
et al. (2012) states that annual crops are increasingly replacing these perennial crops thereby, exposing soil to erosion, decreasing fertility and
increasing the threat of dangerous landslides. Additionally both crops are threatened by pests (banana wilt, coffee borer, and coffee rust leave
disease). Possible options to address this include the restoration of the coffee-banana intercropping system, increasing coffee grown under shade
trees and promoting soil management practises. These activities will help to reduce threat to ecosystem health, danger to humans and their
assets, increase yields, diversify income and can improve the quality of the coffee crop. Mixed systems are also less vulnerable to pests and
climate variability, thus improving the resilience of farmers. Planting perennial food and cash crops like coffee and banana will generate food
and income on a sustainable basis, thereby reducing the need to encroach on the forests every season in search for fertile/virgin lands that are
suitable for annual crop production. Banana, in particular requires mulching and minimum tillage which reduce soil erosion and GHG
emissions.
Sustainable intensification of annual crop production systems: A wide variety of annual crops are grown in Mbale region, in particular in the
lower lying areas. The most important crops by area under cultivation are maize, cassava, ground nuts, sweet potato, rice and millet (UBOS,
2010). In higher areas Irish potato and vegetables are important crops. The importance of individual crops varies between the three districts.
According to MAAIF (2010) yields per hectare in Uganda decreased substantially between 1999 and 2006, and are well below the yield
achieved in controlled conditions, i.e. in research facilities. At the same time total output increased (in particular for Maize), indicating that
more land is used for agriculture than previously. By encouraging more farmers to apply Climate Smart Agricultural practises positive effects on
yields will improve the economic situation of farmers, contribute to conservation by reducing land pressure, protect and improve soils and
increase soil carbon.
Agroforestry: Trees on farm land: The high and ever growing demand for wood as energy resource and for construction purposes, as well as
conversion to other land uses has led to a depletion of trees in the landscape. As a result the energy needs of households are more difficult and/or
more expensive to cover. Agroforestry can reverse this trend by integrating intensive farming with multipurpose trees on farmland. Tree species
used can be native or exotic, and they would include timber species that can be used for only for fuel wood in order to reduce deforestation.
Conservation Agriculture: Options to address land clearing for agriculture may include targeting land uses that are more intensive than
extensive, and use of conservation agriculture practices that focus on minimum tillage with mulching and maintaining of constant soil cover and
use of permanent planting basins, that minimize frequency of opening land for cultivation16. Conservation agriculture (CA) is already being
promoted by the UNDP Drylands Development Center project in six of the cattle corridor districts. Data from 246 farmers involved in the
project show that when using CA practices yields more than doubled compared to using conventional practices. Further, farmers in Lyantonde
and Sembabule, where the rainfall was minimal and very unreliable reported some harvest under CA but total crop failure under conventional
agriculture. The findings re-affirm the scientific underpinning of CA being an excellent local strategy for responding to climate change
mitigation and adaptation, as well as food security. Results from Kamuli district where rains continued for some time after planting were even
more positive as the percentage yield increase when using CA was up to 600% compared to conventional sources.17
Reforestation and sustainable use of forest resources: In order to reduce pressure on the existing forest in the region trees need to be integrated
at small scale into the landscape. That can be single trees (described above under Agroforestry) or small clusters of trees only - woodlots.
Planting and management of larger areas on private land is often restricted by the size of landholdings and other land uses that contribute to the
daily livelihoods of a household. However, institutions like schools and churches often own larger tracts of land allowing them to dedicate parts
of it to fuel wood/timber trees. Both Central Forest Reserves (CFRs) and Local Forest Reserve land can be leased out to private investors,
community groups or societies to plant and manage forest for commercial purposes. Only approx. 30% of Mbale CFR is currently forested
(personal communication NFA). Both planted and native forests must be used sustainably. That is the harvest of timber, fuel wood and nonwood
forest products should follow a forest management plan, be controlled through forest inventories, and harvested areas must be replanted or given
time to recover
with Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) for Agriculture Forestry and Land Use (AFOLU) – and the National Climate Change Policy.
Masiga M., 2012: Consultancy report: Analysis of Adaptation and mitigation options for the territorial approach to climate change (TACC) project for the Mbale region of
Uganda. UNDP Uganda
16
The National Climate Change Policy has already identified LULUCF as one of the options for reducing GHG emissions. The policy calls for controlling and monitoring
land developments and land use changes in a sustainable manner.
17
Conservation Agriculture as a Sustainable Land Management strategy and Climate Change Adaptation; Report for the first cropping season, April- July, 2012], UNDP
DDC Project 2012
14
15
8
Uganda: Mt Elgon Landscape
22. Communities will make a choice on which of the above options 18 are suitable for implementation – based on the community resource maps - and the
project will support implementation one or two that fit within the project budget. The experience and lessons learned in the pilot sites will be shared and
replicated beyond the project boundaries through a serious of publications and workshops
SOCIO-ECONOMIC BENEFITS
23. Mount Elgon sits adjacent to a heavily populated agricultural landscape supporting some two million people, and has been degraded by excessive
use. Yet the livelihoods and economic activities of these people depend on the goods and services that this ecosystem provides. The project will benefit
around half a million people living on the slopes of Mt Elgon, and improve livelihoods for around 5,000 of the poorest and most resource-stressed
households. The current poverty level in the target districts is estimated at 30-40%, with over 50% of households with family incomes of less than US$ 1
per day.19 The total population of the 8 districts in 2010 was about 1.44 million, of whom around 0.5 million live on or adjacent to the lower slopes of Mt
Elgon and of whom 85% are rural farmers. Population densities in 2010 were as high as 1,000 persons/km 2, up from a maximum of 660 persons/km2 in
200220, and population growth rate is 3.4%.21
24. The gender context in the Mt Elgon complex with most of the natural resources controlled by men, and women mainly holding user rights. With up
to 80% of the households depending on agriculture for livelihoods, and women being culturally responsible for ensuring household food security, most of
the land is cultivated by women. However, whereas women focus on food crop production in the low lands, men concentrate of cash crop production,
particularly coffee and trees for timber in the higher or upper parts of the mountain. Women collect firewood from the mountain top, often encroaching on
protected areas where necessary. With the growing population, the search for agricultural land for food and fuel wood production is increasingly forcing
movement into the upper slopes. Unfortunately, most of the land is culturally owned by men, which skews decision making on which crops or trees to
plant as the decision lies with the men. The gender dimensions will be further analysed during the PPG phase to ensure that project interventions promote
gender equality and women empowerment first by significantly involving women and using appropriate gender tools such as gender mapping and analysis
during planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the project.
A.2. Stakeholders. Identify key stakeholders (including civil society organizations, indigenous people, gender groups, and others as relevant) and
describe how they will be engaged in project preparation:
25. The project will be executed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) on behalf of Government of Uganda. MAAIF is
the national focal point for all Sustainable Land Management activities which are implemented within the framework of the inter-ministerial task force
signed by five ministries namely; the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE), Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development (MoLHUD),
MAAIF, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (MTIC) and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD). A Multi-Stakeholder
Project Technical Steering Committee (PTSC), chaired by the Permanent Secretary of MAAIF, will be established to provide guidance and ensure policy
and technical consistency of actions, to evaluate technical consultancy reports, etc. The PSTC will also assist in project monitoring and ensure
complementarity with the Uganda Strategic Investment Framework for Sustainable Land Management (2010 – 2020). The National Agricultural
Research Organisation (NARO) is already doing some work on soil fertility management, soil and water conservation nationally and in the Elgon area
they will focus on land use change in the land slide prone Bududa district of Mt Elgon area. NARO is also slated to carry out an assessment of carbon
stocks in the Elgon area. All this information will inform project design.
26. At the local level, coordination with the range of Government, donor and private funded projects in the Mt Elgon Region will be maintained at
landscape level through project representation within the Multi-stakeholder Forum for Mt Elgon (MFME), whose mandate extends to all districts in the
Mt Elgon landscape, and the Regional Climate Change Forum (RCCF) that focuses specifically on the three districts involved in implementing the ITCP
(the project target districts). District local governments will be involved at all stages of design and implementation, working through District Focal Points
who will represent the project on District Technical Planning Committees and ensure integration within district planning and implementation of district
programmes such as NAADS. Existing structures will be used for consultative planning extending down to village level and the selection of target
communities. Existing NGOs and CBOs in project priority areas already carrying out environmental conservation related activities will be consulted and
engaged during the implementation of the project. Local communities will be engaged strategically in planning and capacity building, and in
implementing pilot activities. The project will take into consideration the interests, customs and priorities of the local communities by ensuring it is the
cmmnities themselves who develop these community resource maps and design and select interventions that fit with their intersts and customs
Name of Organisation
Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries
(MAAIF)
Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE),
National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) and
Busitema University
National Environment Management Authority (NEMA)
Role in the project
Project owner/Implementing partner (is the national focal point for all Sustainable
Land Management activities), will coordinate with the range of Government, donor
and private funded projects in the Mt Elgon Region to ensure synergies are exploited
Oversee the afforestation activities, planning and capacity building, and in
implementing pilot activities
Provide scientific data related to the project site based on work already being done on
carbon assessments, land use in the area.This project will also adopt the scientific
tools developed for the SLM GEF funded project to monitor regeneration of life in
degraded lands in the cattle corridor, to give scientific evidence of SLM in the Mt
Elgon landscape.
Oversee work on Component 2: Options for SLM and Community Empowerment
18
Most options identified are in line with the Biomass Energy strategy draft recommendations and NAMA processes supported under Low Emission Capacity Building
Project
19
MERECP, 2005, Baseline survey of the socio-economics of the people living in the Mt Elgon ecosystem.
20
The national average is 175 persons/km2
21
Demographic data from the website of the Uganda Bureau of Statistics
9
Uganda: Mt Elgon Landscape
Ministry of lands, Housing and Urban Development
Project Technical Steering Committee (PTSC), chaired by the
Permanent Secretary of MAAIF
3 District local governments
NGOs, CBOs and Local communities
Land use plans developed and implemented in at least 3 highly degraded subcounties in the three districts in line with the Integrated Territorial Climate Plan
Provide guidance and ensure policy and technical consistency of actions, to evaluate
technical consultancy reports
Monitor Project and ensure complementarily with the Uganda Strategic Investment
Framework for Sustainable Land Management (2010 – 2020).
To be involved in all stages of design and implementation, working through District
Focal Points, ensure integration within district planning and implementation of
district programmes
To be engaged during the implementation of the project, to identify the community
groups to be targeted by the project interventions and over see some parts of
implementation
A.3 Risk. Indicate risks, including climate change, potential social and environmental risks that might prevent the project objectives from being
achieved, and, if possible, propose measures that address these risks to be further developed during the project design (table format acceptable):
Risk
Inadequate political support for the project and
for enforcement of environmental laws,
particularly those restricting expansion of
agriculture into hilltops above a certain gradient.
Level
Medium
Local communities show limited interest and
willingness to engage in project initiatives that
require substantial labour investment.
Impacts of climate change could disrupt some
interventions through weather extremes and
natural disasters.
Low
Low
Measures that will be taken
The project builds on the Integrated Territorial Climate Plan that has already been
highly supported by political leaders. The political leaders will continue to be
actively involved in planning and sensitization during this project, including
information dissemination sessions with District Councils. Political leaders shall
also be represented on the Project Steering Committee and will be involved in
periodic review of project impacts. (This follows the successful approaches of
TACC project in involving local politicians.)
Community groups engaged in TACC initiatives under the UNDP small grants
scheme demonstrated a high level of willingness to provide necessary labour and
other inputs into improved farming systems.
While the project aims to target the most poor and at-risk households, attention will
be paid to ensuring that interventions are made in communities on geologically
stable slopes and where soil and water conservation measures can be implemented
rapidly. The project will also avoid intervening in areas where there are land
disputes as this will discourage proper investment by farmers in these techniques.
A.4. Coordination. Outline the coordination with other relevant GEF financed and other initiatives:
27. There are several GEF financed projects that this project will build on.
First, The project on Building Resilience to Climate Change in the Water and Sanitation Sector is enhancing the climate resilience of water supplies and
sanitation in Uganda's flood and drought-prone areas, particularly to (i) reduce the risk of floods and improve the availability of water in the Mount Elgon
region; (ii) promote access to climate-resilient sanitation facilities in flood-prone peri-urban areas; and (iii) improve access to water for consumption and
production in drought-prone areas.. There are similarities in the proposed project interventions- such as tree planting, and gender empowermentparticularly in Bududa. However, there are also key differences which make both interventons necessary and complementary. For example, the AFDB
project will focus on the water supply and sanitation programme, while the proposed project will focus on the agricultural sector development plan. The
main focus of the AfDB project is Climate proofing sanitation facilities and Ecosystem based management to reduce vulnerability to flooding (in floood
prone areas); while the proposed project will focus on Improved agricultural practices to ensure Sustainable Land Management and Climate change
mitigation in erosion prone areas. Both projects will support land use planning – but the proposed project will also focus on reducing land tenure
insecurity – which is not the focus of the AfDB project. There are also clear complementarities and opportunities for collaboration. The proposed project
will reinforce the activities of the above project by promoting land use options that restore vegetation thereby protecting water sheds and enhancing water
availability for both production and human use. Upland catchment management, and better agricultural practices upstream will reverse land degradation
and reduce soil erosion –which will in turn lead to increased availability of clean water to complement the use of gravity water for household sanitation
and farm irrigation. Community resource maps will inform land use planning by both projects and would ensure that the water and sanitation
infrastructure is situated in the right places
Second, The project to Strengthen climate information and early warning systems in Africa for climate resilient development and adaptation to climate
change is putting in place a functional network of meteorological and hydrological monitoring stations and infrastructure relevant for better understanding
of climatic changes; and integrated cost benefit and sector specific risk and vulnerability maps.The vulnerability maps will complement the Community
Resource maps that this project will develop and will guide all the project interventions. With scientists predicting that CC will decrease availability of
other annual staple crops such as maize, rice and wheat, there is likely to be an increasing demand for banana for food in Uganda.
By supporting planting of more banana on the farmlands, the proposed project shall create more opportunities for utilization of value addition
technologies tested in the GEF funded project entitled “ Reducing Vulnerability of Banana Producing Communities to Climate Change Through Banana
Value Added Activities - Enhancing Food Security And Employment Generation. With increased banana production, livelihood diversification through
value addition activities like solar drying dessert banana, wine and banana juice making will reduce pressure on forested land as a source of income from
sale of firewood. Given that such additional income would not require increased engagement of scarce land as a resource, it will build adaptive capacity
and resiliency to the effects of climate change, increase willingness to invest in SLM practices, reduce land use change to more annual cropping and thus
increase saving on emission from land clearing.
B. DESCRIPTION OF THE CONSISTENCY OF THE PROJECT WITH:
B.1 National strategies and plans or reports and assessments under relevant conventions, if applicable, i.e. NAPAS, NAPs, NBSAPs, national
communications, TNAs, NCSAs, NIPs, PRSPs, NPFE, Biennial Update Reports, etc.:
10
Uganda: Mt Elgon Landscape
28. The Uganda Government completed a prioritization exercise to develop a GEF V pipeline. An extensive consultative process, including a Country
GEF Portfolio Review workshop held in April 2010 and a series of GEF National Steering Committee meetings held from late 2010 until July 2011, led
to prioritization of this project due to its relevance in addressing an environment and land degradation issue of national concern that is characterized by
escalating natural resources conflicts, natural disaster and significant loss of human life. The project is consistent with the overall approach of the
National Development Plan 2010/11 – 2014/15 which recognizes that sustainable economic and social development of Uganda largely depends on
exploitation of its environmental and natural resources, with due recognition to the influence of changing climate. The National Development Plan also
notes that climate change has serious negative impacts on the country's social and economic development and is threatening attainment of development
targets including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The NDP also recognizes that environmental management, including climate change,
cuts across all sectors and requires the participation of various actors - particularly District Local Governments (DLGs) and CBOs. The project is also
in line with the National Action Plan to Combat Desertification (UNCCD-NAP) and directly supports implementation of the (hugely under-funded)
National Adaptation Programme of Action 2007 (NAPA), which both emphasize the importance of protecting highland ecosystems which are
particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts (citing the increasing occurrence of landslides in highland ecosystems and increasingly frequent
flooding in downstream lowland ecosystems). Interventions under this project are also in line with the National Environment Management Policy
1994, which provides for the integration of environmental concerns in all development policies and planning activities, the Water Policy, 1999 which
aims at effective management and securing of water resources to support economic development, and the Climate Change Policy 2012 (draft) which
aims at mainstreaming climate change adaptation and mitigation measures in all areas of economic development, including the promotion of resilient,
productive and sustainable agricultural systems. The Climate Change Policy has prioritized LULUCF as one of the mitigation options with the
objective to control and monitor land developments and land use changes in a sustainable manner so as to better manage GHG sources and sinks.
The project interventions support implementation of the Strategic Investment Framework for Sustainable Land Management 2010 - 2020 which
aims at addressing land degradation in a coordinated manner, and includes promotion of the concept of integrated land and water resource management;
whose formulation was guided by the regional Comprehensive African Agriculture Programme (CAADP). The project also links with the Agriculture
NAMA, which seeks to promote and encourage conservation agriculture and ecologically compatible cropping systems and agriculture practices to
increase GHG sinks. Last but not least, the Second National Communication Preparation (2011-2014) is under development and will be submitted to
UNFCC by May 2014 highlighting progress made by government in meeting its obligations under the UNFCCC.
B.2. GEF focal area and/or fund(s) strategies, eligibility criteria and priorities:
29. The project focuses on sustainable land management in a critical landscape, the Mount Elgon Ecosystem, and will implement activities that
synergistically contribute to land degradation and climate change mitigation. The project addresses GEF Land Degradation Focal Area, strategic objective
3; Reducing pressures on natural resources from competing land uses in the wider landscape , by promoting integrated land use planning at the district
level, engineering a shift from unsustainable land practices to sustainable land management . The project also contributes to GEF CCM-5 Promoting
conservation and enhancement of carbon stocks by enabling relevant Government and non-government stakeholders and economic actors to build
capacities, and adopt good management practices in LULUCF leading to enhancement and restoration of carbon stocks
.
B.3 The GEF Agency’s comparative advantage for implementing this project:
30. The project is aligned with cross-cutting environment programmes of UNDP in Uganda, contributing to programmes for sustainable land management
that develop interventions which support communities to improve productivity of their land resources as a basis for economic development, food security
and sustainable livelihoods; mainstreaming of sustainable land management into local government development planning, and developing adaptation
measures that respond to the identified priority interventions in Uganda’s National Adaptation Plan of Action (NAPA) to climate change as well as
mitigating the effects of climate change and related elements of the National Development Plan. The project contributes to the development of innovative
approaches of both local governments and CSOs that address the challenges of land degradation, loss of biodiversity, inefficient and unsustainable use of
energy and climate change, with a view to strengthening community resilience, improving community livelihoods and incomes, informing policy
improvement as well as generate knowledge and experience for scaling up. The project focus on mountain ecosystem complements UNDPs current main
SLM project ‘Mainstreaming of sustainable land management activities in six cattle corridor districts’, which focuses on dry lands.
31. The project directly addresses several CPAP outcomes including: increased sustainable production in selected sub sectors, particularly benefiting
women and youth, national and local institutions capacitated to develop, implement and monitor pro-poor and MDG responsive policies/strategies, and:
capacity of selected institutions strengthened for sustainable environment and natural resources management as well as climate change adaptation and
mitigation. The project activities will benefit from wider efforts of UNDP CPAP that aim to support local governments to mainstream issues of
environment and natural resources management, climate change mitigation/adaptation and disaster risk reduction into plans, processes and budgets. The
project links to UNDAF Outcome 2: Sustainable livelihoods (this responds to Uganda’s National Development Plan development objectives 1: Increasing
household incomes, and 6: Harnessing natural resources and the environment for sustainable development).
32. The project will be implemented by the UNDP Uganda Environment and Energy Group (EEG). The EEG is staffed by a full time Team Leader and
Programme Analyst, supported by several Senior Advisors (on Sustainable Livelihoods, Capacity and Governance). The country team is received
implementation support and other technical guidance as needed fro a team of Region-Based Technical Advisors based at the UNDP Regional Service
Centre in Addis Ababa. UNDP has a suite of in-house tools for project formulation and management.
PART III: APPROVAL/ENDORSEMENT BY GEF OPERATIONAL FOCAL POINT(S) AND GEF AGENCY(IES)
A. RECORD OF ENDORSEMENT OF GEF OPERATIONAL FOCAL POINT (S) ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT(S): (Please attach the Operational Focal
Point endorsement letter(s) with this template. For SGP, use this OFP endorsement letter).
NAME
Mr. Patrick Okailap
POSITION
Deputy Secretary to the
Treasury/GEF OFP
MINISTRY
Ministry of Finance and
Economic Planning
DATE (Month, day, year)
25th February 2014
11
Uganda: Mt Elgon Landscape
B. GEF AGENCY(IES) CERTIFICATION
This request has been prepared in accordance with GEF/LDCF/SCCF policies and procedures and meets the GEF/LDCF/SCCF criteria for
project identification and preparation.
Agency Coordinator,
Agency name
Adriana Dinu
Executive Coordinator
and Director a.i,
UNDP/GEF
Date
Signature
6 March 2014
Project Contact
Person
Alice Ruhweza
Technical Advisor,
Ecosystems and
Biodiversity
UNDP-GEF
Email Address
Telephone
+
2519349670
15
alice.ruhweza@undp.org
12
Uganda: Mt Elgon Landscape