Nature-Based Solutions for Adaptation in Uganda

The inventory identifies a diverse range of NbS in Uganda, primarily focused on wetland and catchment restoration, forest management, and agroforestry. These interventions address coupled challenges of food insecurity, water stress, and disaster risk. Key projects include the GCF FP034 wetland restoration and the CAPA Initiative in the Greater Virunga Landscape. While social inclusion is present, it is unevenly documented across the portfolio.

• Uganda's NbS for adaptation are distributed across multiple ecosystem types rather than being dominated by one, including wetlands, protected areas, forest landscapes, mountain ecosystems, peatlands, river systems, savannah parklands, and restoration mosaics.
• The most frequent interventions focus on wetland and catchment restoration, forest and protected area management, and landscape restoration, primarily to improve water security and livelihood resilience.
• NbS interventions in Uganda typically employ integrated packages—combining ecosystem rehabilitation, buffer zone protection, community engagement, and alternative livelihoods—rather than single activities like tree planting.
• Biodiversity benefits in these projects are generally achieved by improving overall ecosystem conditions and reducing pressures such as encroachment and erosion, rather than through species-specific conservation targets.
• Social inclusion efforts, including gender-responsive design and focus on marginalized groups like refugees and the Batwa, are present but unevenly documented across the project portfolio.
• The GCF FP034 project reported restoring 38,317 ha of degraded wetlands and 1,655 ha of degraded catchment by December 2022, while supporting 17,422 households through alternative livelihoods.
• The CAPA Initiative in the Greater Virunga Landscape has reforested over 350 ha of wildfire-degraded land in Rwenzori Mountains National Park and cleared over 200 ha of invasive species in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
• In the Awoja ecosystem, WWF reporting indicates that wetland restoration increased from 35% to 80% within two years, and vegetation cover rose from 15% to 48%.
• The inventory identifies significant gaps in NbS coverage, noting that dryland systems, urban ecosystems, and certain northern and northeastern regions are comparatively underrepresented.

APA

Sekirime, S. (2026). Nature-Based Solutions for Adaptation in Uganda. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-06/nature-based-solutions-inventory-uganda.pdf

Chicago

Sekirime, Susan. Nature-Based Solutions for Adaptation in Uganda. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2026. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-06/nature-based-solutions-inventory-uganda.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sekirime |first1=Susan |title=Nature-Based Solutions for Adaptation in Uganda |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=June 2026 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-06/nature-based-solutions-inventory-uganda.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sekirime2026naturebased, author = {Sekirime, Susan}, title = {{Nature-Based Solutions for Adaptation in Uganda}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2026}, month = jun, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/2026-06/nature-based-solutions-inventory-uganda.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }