The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), through its Monitoring and Evaluation Department, has launched a nationwide exercise to assess the state of land degradation under the Sustainable Land Management component.
The initiative aims to validate existing data, gather community perspectives on environmental degradation, and identify effective interventions.
In Mayuge District, part of the Busoga sub-region, MAAIF officials began by meeting district leaders before engaging local communities, focusing on the sub-counties most affected by land degradation.
According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) 2021 report, approximately 133,794 hectares of land in Mayuge have been degraded, underscoring the urgency for corrective measures.
Samuel Etyang, a ministry official, explained that the activity is part of Component Two of the Climate Smart Agriculture Programme, which promotes climate-resilient technologies and practices.
“Our goal is to work with stakeholders to identify the most affected sub-counties while ensuring that communities participate in selecting the most appropriate interventions,” Etyang said.
Under the programme, 3,767 hectares are targeted for restoration in Baitambogwe, Imanyiro, and Bukatuube sub-counties.
Stakeholders emphasized the importance of a collective approach to addressing land degradation. Ali Kyamusana noted that many community members still prefer working individually, affecting the sustainability of past programmes.
Mayuge District Environment Officer Aram Thomas highlighted existing measures, including environmental protection committees and local ordinances supporting conservation efforts.
Community members identified population pressure, large-scale leasing of land for sugarcane cultivation, and declining lake productivity as key drivers of land degradation.
To mitigate these pressures, locals recommended alternative livelihoods such as fish farming, beekeeping, and livestock rearing to reduce dependency on degraded land and improve household incomes.
The exercise is expected to provide critical insights for targeted interventions, helping communities restore degraded lands and enhance agricultural productivity.