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Benefiting livelihoods by improving biodiversity and management effectiveness of Uganda’s only wild rhino sanctuary

Privately protected area

Livelihoods

Local communities Women Subnational government

Livelihoods/Alternative economic activities Ecosystem/habitat restoration Invasive alien species

99,500 EUR ; Eastern Africa September 01, 2020 - August 31, 2021

Protected and conserved area(s) concerned

Ziwa wildlife sanctuary.

The BIOPAMA AC Objectives addressed

Support to maintain community livelihoods and/or enhanced resilience of local communities to major shocks caused by COVID pandemic, whilst effectively contributing to protected areas management.

Priority need addressed

Covid-19 has hit Rhino Fund Uganda (RFU) hard, resulting in income loss of 93% overnight, representing urgent and serious threats to ranger and community livelihoods, which are exacerbated by other socio-economic impacts. Should RFU fail, there is no other NGO, or other organisation, in Uganda with the relevant expertise or manpower to take on the sanctuary.

Project activities

Activities include reinstatement of a Biodiversity Management Program (BMP) that was suspended due to Covid19, to improve the habitat for white rhinos by bush clearing and invasive species management allowing supressed grasses to flourish. The success of the program to date shows that it will enable other wildlife and bird species to utilise the improved habitat thereby increasing biodiversity.

The Biodiversity Improvement Program will employ and equip local manual labour, trained Rhino Fund Uganda rangers and a Uganda graduate Biodiversity Officer, all who, in turn, will add to the economic prospects of the local community due to their improved purchasing power.

A Revolving Goat Scheme (RGS) will bring new, income earning opportunities to women in the local community, who will have the opportunity to raise goats for food or sale. In either case, this will help alleviate malnutrition and enhance the community economy.

The change the project implementation will bring for the protected area(s)

This project will improve community livelihoods via employment and micro-enterprise, bicycle and goat donations, firewood and cattle-grazing access, and combatting malnutrition, excessive charcoal production and over-grazing in community lands. It will improve biodiversity and habitat within the Sanctuary, optimizing the carrying capacity for white rhinos, enabling calving rates to be maintained. It will ensure social dynamics that reduces inter-species fighting and thereby injury or death of the endangered rhinos. Management effectiveness in anti-poaching and tourism will be maximised.

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