Uganda is grappling with a deepening environmental crisis that threatens both its ecosystems and the livelihoods of millions.
An estimated 58% of the country’s land is now degraded, and forest cover has plummeted from 49% in the 1950s to just 13% today.
This environmental decline—exacerbated by a rapidly changing climate—is taking a heavy toll: food insecurity, reduced soil fertility, vanishing rivers, and surging temperatures. Experts warn the country is approaching an ecological tipping point.
“The signs are everywhere—in the drying rivers, in the shrinking harvests, and in the rising temperatures,” says Novess Mugabirwe, Assistant Forestry Officer for Kamwenge District.
Drone footage starkly illustrates the damage. Once-fertile expanses of green are now barren and dusty. In districts like Kamwenge, degraded land has led to plummeting yields and parched riverbeds.
Even the famed Rwenzori Mountains are feeling the strain.
“By 1955, the entire top of the Rwenzori was covered in glaciers,” says Charlotte Ansasira, Project Officer with Restore Africa in Kamwenge. “Today, they’ve almost disappeared. Climate change and degradation are working hand in hand to destroy what was there.”
Yet amid this devastation, hope is taking root—literally. A major initiative called Restore Africa, led by the Global EverGreening Alliance, is driving large-scale land restoration across Uganda and other African nations.
And at the center of this campaign are the country’s smallholder farmers.
“Across several African countries, farmers are being trained to integrate trees into their fields,” says Chris Armitage, CEO of the Global EverGreening Alliance.
“This isn’t just tree planting—it’s about restoring soil health, improving water retention, and bringing degraded land back to life.”
The Restore Africa program promotes long-term sustainability by blending traditional farming methods with nature-based solutions.
The approach helps build climate resilience and ecological balance, especially in rural communities hit hardest by land degradation.
“This is not just about planting trees,” emphasizes Carrie Beaumont, Chief of Party at Restore Africa Uganda.
“It’s about building systems where trees support crops, protect homes, and boost incomes. The journey to restoration is long—but in these communities, hope is taking root, one tree, one farm, one family at a time.”
She adds: “If we continue to destroy the land, the land will destroy us. But if we restore it, it will feed us, protect us, and sustain us. The choice is ours.”
Uganda’s land may be wounded, but it is not beyond healing. With farmers leading the way and initiatives like Restore Africa offering tools and support, the country is beginning to write a new story—one of resilience, regeneration, and renewal.