Restoring Kagadi's degraded lands

For over three decades working with communities in Kagadi, the Uganda Rural Development and Training Programme (URDT) has witnessed how land that once supported farming, grazing, and natural vegetation is steadily losing its productivity. Prolonged seasonal dry spells, especially at vulnerable periods of crop development; soil erosion, deforestation; bush burning and unsustainable farming practices have left many families struggling with low farm outputs, disappearing tree cover, and declining water sources.

Seeing women and girls walk longer distances for firewood and water and farmers harvest less from exhausted soils made us realize that restoring the land is no longer optional; it is necessary for the survival and resilience of our communities. Through the “Restoration of Degraded Land and Ecosystem” project, URDT will work with smallholder farmers organized in farmer family learning groups, schools, and community leaders to restore degraded landscapes in Kagadi over the next 12 months. The implementers will use approaches like community action planning (CAP), a methodology for visionary life orientation and planning, community asset voucher (CAV), an approach for mobilizing local resources, and the 2-generation approach.  The project will establish community tree nurseries, promote agroforestry and syn-tropic agriculture, restore soil fertility through composting, trenching, and mulching, protect wetlands and water catchments, and train households in climate-smart agriculture and sustainable land management practices.

Community members participate in organic farming trainings, planting cover crops and native fruit trees, creating contour bunds and trenches, recycling non-decomposing materials, and rehabilitating degraded farmland. Within six months, we expect to see restored vegetation cover, agroforestry farms, soil water management, and ecosystem conservation technologies. Within one year, targeted areas will begin recovering biodiversity, retaining more moisture, and supporting improved crop production and household livelihoods. By restoring the land together, we are restoring hope, resilience, and a healthier future for both people and nature in Kagadi.