Whitley Fund for Nature Programme

Nature Uganda secured a Continuation Funding from Whitley Fund for Nature for the implementation of a project titled “Strengthening resiliency in communities reliant on wetlands and Conservation of critical biodiversity”.

The project was designed to address the plight of the local communities whose livelihoods depend on the Lake Victoria catchment area. Kaku Kiyanja and its associated wetlands provide breeding habitat for over 100 pairs of Grey crowned cranes in addition to other critical biodiversity – birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and insects.

The main aim of the project is designating the Kaku/ Kiyajja wetland site as a wetland of international importance, a Ramsar site, established with a sustainable community mechanism to protect the wetland through community conservation agreements, establish community wildlife scouts referred to as Crane custodians as primary beneficiaries, and implement nature-based solutions to deliver improved livelihoods to the community while protecting critical biodiversity in the area in particular the breeding Grey Crowned Cranes.

Key Achievements

• Wetland was mapped
• Biodiversity assessments & Socio-economic surveys were conducted at Kaku.
• Feedback workshop was held to present results of surveys to the Lwengo District Local Government