Background  

The Welsh Government has been working with Size of Wales and partners in Uganda for 10 years to deliver a programme in the Mount Elgon region planting millions of trees. This programme has the aligned objectives of climate change mitigation and adaptation, and poverty alleviation.

This mountainous region has a high rural population. Around 80% of Ugandans live in rural communities with c42% surviving on less than 2 USD a day. 95% of the population depend on firewood and charcoal for their energy needs. 

Uganda’s forests are under severe threat. In recent years the Mount Elgon region has been heavily deforested primarily due to the expansion of agriculture and the demand for firewood. Uganda’s forest cover declined from 24% in the 1990s to less than 9% in 2018. 

The Mbale Tree Planting Programme  

The Mbale Tree Planting Programme is managed by the Mount Elgon Tree Growing Enterprise (METGE). It works with four local implementing partners in Uganda - Share an Opportunity, Salem Uganda, Bunkokho Rural Development Centre and Mount Elgon Agroforestry Communities Cooperative Enterprise (formerly Gumutindo). The four implementing partners manage a network of 38 tree nurseries that grow and distribute millions of tree seedlings. The nurseries are located in the heart of communities and seedlings are distributed free of charge to the community. The implementing partners offer support to the nursery bed operators and the wider community on the benefits of tree planting and agroforestry. They also offer practical training on planting and nurturing the trees.

The programme’s core aim is to increase overall tree cover across the region, integrating agroforestry and sustainable farming practises, an effective approach in a landscape that is dotted with agricultural small holdings. These approaches provide many additional benefits to the population: supporting productive ecosystems; mitigating against climate change and transforming the lives and livelihoods of thousands of people in some of the poorest communities in Uganda. Increased tree cover also means greater food security through the provision of fruits, nuts and other tree foods; land and soils are stabilised, vitally important for this area which is badly affected by landslides; reduced soil degradation; fodder for animals; shade for coffee and other crops; firewood for fuel as well as construction materials and other marketable products. The programme also promotes the construction of energy efficient cook stoves which reduces the volume of firewood needed; and beekeeping as a means of providing income for families.

The combination of very fertile soils and year ground growth due to Uganda’s positioning on the equator, means that the trees in and around Mbale grow exceptionally quickly compared to most other parts of the world. The trees’ potential to sequester carbon is, therefore, very high. It’s a cost-effective way to efficiently mitigate against rising levels of carbon whilst supporting a large, rural community at the same time.

Achievements to date

Over the course of the project’s lifespan it has steadily grown in ambition and scale. The first target reached was the distribution of 1 million tree seedlings between 2010 and 2012. Having achieved this target, the programme committed to growing and distributing 10 million seedlings, a milestone that was reached in 2019.  

By 2019, the programme was distributing approximately 2 million seedlings per annum. This figure includes one tree planted for every child born or adopted in Wales as part of the innovative Plant! Scheme.

All key partners involved in the development and implementation of the programme are proud of the achievements reached to date and are committed to developing and strengthening the programme as it transitions into the next phase.

The next phase

Supported by additional investment from the Welsh Government, the Mbale Tree Planting Programe’s now aims to grow and distribute approximately 3.1 million seedlings per annum, an increase of over 1 million seedlings each year. The ambitious annual target means the project will reach its overall target of 25 million seedlings grown and distributed in total by 2025. Scaling up will mean reaching out to neighbouring Districts in the Mount Elgon region, setting up new nurseries and expanding and developing existing nurseries.

As the programme has grown over the past decade, it has developed more holistic approaches to community engagement. A ‘Model Village’ approach was developed by communities and project staff. After a series of successful pilots, it is now being implemented across the project area. This model identifies local facilitators and exemplary farmers across communities. As natural leaders within their communities, they enable deeper engagement of the project, and they facilitate shared learning and mutual support within and across participating communities. Model Villages are regularly monitored by project staff and receive ongoing practical and technical support. Tree planting remains at the heart of the Model Village approach, and championing agroforesty within communities is the primary goal. Other community strenthening measures are introduced as part of this model such as beekeping, an example of an alternative and sustainable livelihood, and the setting up of village savings and loans groups. These groups offer members the opportunity to save, make lump payments for medicines and school fees, and to take loans. These loans can be used to diversify agricultural activities, buy animals or set up small businesses.  

 A successful model

It was recognised early on that the initial project had the potential to be scaled up and replicated in other areas. Key to its success has been thanks to effective collaboration and shared learning between the implementing partners. A strong network has been established through the partners and community members which had supported seedling distribution and tree growing activity. The programme works closely with the community and employs local people across several Districts in the region.

The funding model has also been very successful with the Welsh Government and Size of Wales working closely as strategic partners in the implementation and development of the programme.

   

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