Chairman's Address
Environmental Alert marked 20 years of existence on April 18 2008. Since inception in 1988 we have consistently been led by our vision to free communities of hunger and enhance their capacity to manage natural resources sustainably as the basis for sustained livelihoods.Today we look back at our first engagements in Gombe sub-county, Wakiso district cycling through villages and building capacity of communities to increase food production, manage natural resources and address other livelihood challenges. Over the years we have directly reached over 30,000 households, but also facilitated change at the secondary level through pursuit of policy change and improvements in policy implementation. Our district level engagements now cover Kampala, Wakiso, Sironko, Tororo, Moyo, Adjumani, Yumbe, Mubende and Kyenjojo.
We are closely associated with several model community interventions and best practices where:
- Farmers yields have increased dramatically in some cases by as much as 30% for maize beans and ground nuts.
- Community capacity building has evolved into community sustainable structures such as community based associations.
- Community wetland management plans have been developed and are applied to promote wise use of wetlands (Mende and Kasanje,in Wakiso district)
- Alternative livelihood engagements such as crop and livestock enterprise initiatives have and are becoming competitive business ventures (Sironko Goat Breeders Association for instance).
At the national and regional levels we have worked directly or in partnership to promote policy change, improve policy implementation and national development strategies, as well as playing a critical role in policy formulation.
We have played a key role in:
- In partnership with KCC and others we reviewed and successfully made policy recommendations that resulted into the enactment of the Kampala Urban Agriculture ordinances in 2005.
- Improving the forestry policy framework
- We have supported districts and other government institutions to effect the bottom up development planning approach to ensure that priorities of natural resources dependent communities are addressed.
- We are also playing a lead role on climate change dialogue and the search for practical solutions.
Our achievements therefore have not gone un-noticed, even though the models that we have developed and associated best practices are yet to earn due political support and institutionalisation so that they are fully integrated in development programmes and strategies to benefit all Ugandans.
We therefore have cause to celebrate, and encourage you to celebrate with us!
Dr. John Kaboggoza
Board Chairperson
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