Kidepo Conservation Drive Targets 2,280 Farmers in Eco-Friendly Agriculture Push

A significant conservation and agricultural initiative is underway in Uganda, targeting over 2,280 cotton farmers within the Kidepo Valley Conservation Landscape. The five-year cross-border partnership is designed to improve household agricultural incomes while actively safeguarding vital wildlife habitats and migratory corridors.

Spearheaded by the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) in collaboration with Entrepreneurial Solutions Partners (ESP), the project seeks to transform traditional subsistence farming into commercially viable, climate-resilient livelihoods. The strategic pact was officially formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Kigali, Rwanda.

Under this initiative, participating farmers are adopting regenerative agricultural techniques to maximize crop yields without disrupting local ecology. The partnership also aims to connect local agricultural outputs directly with structured financing and broader off-taker markets, addressing the structural bottlenecks that have historically limited rural smallholders.

Mr. Kaddu Sebunya, the CEO of AWF, emphasized that long-term environmental conservation relies on local communities realizing direct economic benefits from their surrounding natural resources. In addition to cotton farming, the initiative plans to promote high-value horticulture and expand the local shea butter value chain in Kidepo, which could potentially uplift thousands of additional community members.

Mr. Eric Kacou, Co-founder and Managing Partner of ESP, noted that rural families living alongside wildlife should be active participants in the economic value chain of conservation landscapes. Alongside the efforts in Kidepo, the initial phase of the programme is also rolling out support for park-adjacent households in Rwanda’s Volcanoes landscape.

For more details on this conservation initiative, read the full story on Daily Monitor.