The Joint Efforts to Save the Environment (JESE) has achieved significant progress in restoring and conserving ecosystems along River Mpanga through a collaborative initiative aimed at benefiting both people and nature.
Implemented across districts including Kitagwenda, Kyenjojo, Kamwenge, Kabalore, and Ibanda, the program targets degraded buffer zones that had faced years of encroachment.
It emphasises halting environmental destruction and promoting sustainable natural resource management through community-led interventions.
According to Caroline Athieno, Communications and Advocacy Manager at JESE, the project has produced visible results, particularly in Kiburara, Ibanda District, where about 45 hectares of land previously encroached by Ibanda Prisons for cultivation were demarcated and restored.
Elly Kilya, Ibanda District Natural Resources Officer, credited constructive dialogue with the prison authorities for the success, noting that the prisons vacated the buffer zones voluntarily, setting a positive example for the community.
The restoration has also improved downstream outcomes. Edwin Banyenzaki, Chairperson of the Mpanga Catchment Management Area, reported that the River Mpanga Hydropower Dam’s output increased from 2–8 megawatts to 18 megawatts following the buffer zone interventions.
Lincon Akankwatsa, Kiburara Prisons Farm Manager, confirmed compliance with environmental directives, encouraging other institutions to follow suit. Local leaders expressed optimism that continued collaboration among communities, institutions, and district stakeholders would sustain these gains.
Since its founding in 1993, JESE has empowered smallholder farmers and communities dependent on natural resources, championing equitable access to water, sanitation, and sustainable development in partnership with Join For Water and local authorities.
The restoration of River Mpanga’s buffer zones underscores the power of collective action, demonstrating how shared responsibility can lead to sustainable environmental conservation, improved livelihoods, and enhanced hydropower generation.