Train tourism host communities to live in harmony with wildlife
Cyrus Kabaale
Like in the past, this year, as every year, the world commemorates the International Wildlife Day under the theme: ‘Forests and livelihoods: Sustaining people and planet.’ This seeks to enable communities to adopt and embrace alternative livelihoods and promote environmental conservation.
The call comes amid the increasing birthrates of the chimpanzee population in Uganda’s protected areas. There have been concerns of rapid loss of habitats, which have increased incidences of human wildfire conflicts in the protected areas. The communities, who are the primary custodians of these conservation sites, have often blamed apparent spate of violent attacks by chimpanzees on low response from UWA.
According to Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), there is a lot that needs to be done jointly to protect private forests and natural homes of the chimps from destruction. The destruction is largely attributed to increasing demand for growing crops for food and to earn a living, seen as more beneficial than the forest stopping erosion, and keeping the chimps away.
The situation, which had worsened with the outbreak of Covid-19, has impacted livelihoods, pushing host communities to encroach on conservation areas to seek livelihood options.
This present threat to habitats and species. These habitats are a home to some of the most critical, endangered and vulnerable species in Uganda such as chimpanzee that must be protected to prevent species loss and extinction.
In an effort to reduce habitat loss, Environment Governance Institute (EGI) with support from IUCN Save Our Species and co-funded by the European Union, conducted a community capacity building training on alternative livelihood options in Hoima, Kibaale, Masindi, Buliisa and Kiryandongo districts to empower communities and build their resilience to adapt and apply alternative land use and livelihood practices to secure their livelihood rights (food security, improved incomes and climate-resilient). This will help to limit or stop them from destroying wildlife habitats and engaging in illegal activities, including poaching.
The participants who were derived from the tourism sites around Murchison Falls landscapes were trained on topics related to community livelihood options such as climate-smart agriculture for crop growing, horticulture, bee-keeping practices, the relevance of conservation in times of crises, and value addition, among others.
Joyce Katusiime of Kyamarere Women Handcraft Association appreciated EGI for responding to their plight.
She narrated to the meeting that since the cut down of Mpalagansi community forest, life is already hard enough for families around the remaining forest. She said they could barely grow food for themselves, and now a group of desperate, crop raiding chimpanzee threatened their livelihood, maybe even their safety.
She added that “chimps come closer to our homes searching for food, ripping bananas from the trees, grabbing mangoes and jackfruits and whatever else tempted them”.
Katusiime added that “a chimpanzee came in the garden when I was busy digging. The three-year-old daughter was in the nearby tree shade, as she was mothering with hard fieldwork, but she turned her back to get her some drinking water. The chimp saw its chance, grabbed her three-year-old daughter by the hand and ran.
The girl’s screaming brought other villagers, who helped the mother give chase. But the chimp was rough and strong, and the damage occurred fast. “It injured her on the hand and the head.” she said. She added that her daughter was taken to a health clinic and later the community health centre.
She reported the case to UWA and police. It is bad that they have not compensated my daughter yet she continues to nurse injuries on her hand and head.
Mr Cyrus Kabaale is the project officer at Environment Governance Institute (EGI).
