By KT Reporter
Environmental conservationists want the government to come up with a streamlined policy specific to the establishment of refuge settlements. This is to ensure the protection of biodiversity, which is threatened by the continued influx of refugee arrivals in the country.
It is estimated that at least 41 percent of Uganda’s landscape is experiencing degradation, a fact exacerbated by refugee settlement.
Ivan Amanigaruhanga, the Uganda Biodiversity Trust Fund (UBF) Executive Director, says there is a need to blend development with environmental protection consciousness, adding that this also points to proper refuge management in the country. “Refuge hosting is a very good thing and puts Uganda on the world map, but we need to remember that without proper planning for the numbers of people increasing in the country, yet the resources are not expanding, it calls for streamlined management.”
Speaking at the end of the four-year program for the restoration of biodiversity in refuge settlements and host communities, Amanigaruhanga pointed out that conservation must be a concerted effort of all stakeholders, starting with the government enacting strong policies. This, he said, has been one of the greatest lessons learned from the four years of the program’s implementation.
According to Amanigaruhanga, proper planning and addressing the core issues that enable law enforcement, especially those concerning the environment, will deliver significant results. “There is a need for clear policy guidance integrated into planning. When you are situating a refuge settlement, what guides the location of such a place? Because when you put a settlement next to a forest like in Kyangwale, what do you expect a refuge to do to the forest?”
He also challenged policymakers and the President to prioritize funding for natural resource managers in the country, directly from the local government natural resource officers and the environmental police, if whatever is being discussed about environmental protection is to achieve success.
Moses Chuna Kapolon, the CAO of Yumbe, says the four-year program has been instrumental in biodiversity restoration in the district, especially in Bidi-Bidi, as well as in the host community around the settlement.
Kapolon further states that for the successes so far registered by the program, there is a need to ensure continuity through intensified surveillance mechanisms for at least ten years across all the areas where the program has been implemented.
Kapolon advised that the government should reassess its refuge open-door policy, especially the carrying capacity of the land. “At the moment, we need to assess our carrying capacity. Much as we have an open-door policy, what can we take in, and then assess what we can offer to the refugees so that we don’t create an emergency?” He adds that before allowing more refugees, environmental assessments must first be carried out to ensure the country is not overwhelmed.
The call for action by conservationists and local leaders underscores the need for Uganda to strike a balance between its humanitarian obligations and environmental sustainability.
As the country continues to host one of the largest refugee populations globally, prioritizing strong policies, funding for resource management and sustainable planning will be crucial. By doing so, Uganda can protect its biodiversity while maintaining its reputation as a haven for those in need.
