5437

Component 1: Strengthening the collective governance

The first aim is to improve the collective and participatory governance of the communities bordering the KNP in the Sebitoli area and in the 6 targeted villages, as well as their coordination with the UWA. This is a necessary condition, to be fulfilled progressively, simultaneously with the agro-ecological actions, the reduction of poverty and food insecurity, the preservation of biodiversity and landscapes and the sustainable management of natural resources. 

Here are the objectives related to the strengthening of the collective governance of the riparian communities in Sebitoli and the institutions involved:

1) Implementation of activities to strengthen the governance of village communities on the periphery of the park 

Illegal activities are recorded on a daily basis by the team of 3 CPS assistants, some of whom are repentant poachers. This team will be made available to FoFauPopU and its efficiency will be reinforced in order to continue research, identification and mapping of illegal activities of cutting plants, charcoal preparation and poaching.

 

 

2) Increased interest in the National Park and chimpanzees 

Various awareness workshops are being undertaken by the CPS to increase the communities' knowledge of the environment around them: chimpanzees, wildlife and the need to protect KNP.  Various topics are addressed, including the risk of chemical inputs to human health and the environment or pollution from road users at the park's edge. Discovery activities are also organised for children from neighbouring villages with the participation of UWA, to help them get in touch with their immediate environment and the stakes of its preservation. Finally, in coordination with the Wildlife Clubs of Uganda, a team of 3 local SCP staff members is implementing animations of different nature to sensitize communities and tea company workers on the impacts of poaching.

 

3) Strengthening th effectiveness of the environmental/ social services of the sub-county 

The URDT is developing a systemic approach to create strong connections between sub-committees and communities. This method, which is very similar to that of Kinomé - and which Kinomé will help to strengthen - will consolidate the local social fabric and create the relational basis for development activities that will gradually involve communities in the conservation of the KNP.

4) Creation and accompaniment of environmental and social committees in 6 villages

The URDT assesses the needs of communities in terms of governance and collective spirit, prior to the setting up and management of participatory collective projects around the implementation of sustainable and equitable agriculture and the improvement of human-wildlife relations.  It focuses on the 6 main villages bordering the KNP: Sebitoli, Nyagamere, Kinyantali, Munobwa, Muguso and Nyakabingo.  Environment-social managers" will be trained for each of the six riparian villages in charge of groups including in particular repentant poachers, with the support of community leaders. Their role will be to act as focal points for relations with members of the sub-county, UWA and other stakeholders. They will form village environmental committees that will address the specific issues of the project: reduction of human-wildlife conflicts, development of sustainable, low-polluting and income-generating agricultural activities, and enhancement of local value chains, all with a view to respecting customary, national and international laws.

5) Strengthening the coordination of actions on the periphery of the KNP with UWA

There is a need to strengthen coordination and mutual knowledge between the communities and UWA. The daily reality of each party, difficulties and successes are shared with partners. Communication is facilitated, with the help of the monitoring committee (made up of villagers), particularly with regard to the communities' appeal for help in the event of intrusion of elephants and other animals on their crops. These meetings are potentially the means of establishing agreements between the communities and the UWA, but also the means of developing with the village communities an environmental and social charter based on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and the sharing of the benefits derived from this biodiversity. In each of these exchanges, the URDT plays its role as a neutral, benevolent and educational element to facilitate the progressive strengthening of the relationship and the resolution of conflicts.

6) Strengthening the governance of KNP village communities with the PCGS

The objective of the PCGS is to build a common vision at all levels of governance in order to facilitate communication and co-construction. It is also imperative to ensure the follow-up and sustainability of activities by being a stakeholder in the actions undertaken. Thus, two village associations led by two SCP assistants have recently been created (NCCP and SCOP) in order to set up alternative activities to poaching, to reduce pressure on the environment and to benefit from the ecosystem services associated with the proximity of the park, in particular through the installation of hive fences to reduce elephant incursions into the fields. To strengthen these synergies, the PCGS is making material and human resources available while relying on the skills, activities and good coordination of the Ugandan SCP/PCGS teams. This also allows the project to be part of an action-research dynamic in order to provide an optimal working environment for new project members, doctoral students and students carrying out their work.