The area surrounding Mount Elgon in the Eastern part of the country is heavily degraded due to deforestation and over-cultivation. The relatively high population in the area puts a strain on the land, leaving it almost bare, due to degradation from animal grazing, tree-cutting for fuel wood, and heavy mono-cropping of specific crops like bananas and coffee. The degraded land has also led to deadly landslides in the area which pose an acute safety risk to the nearby populations.

This land degradation arises as a direct clash between existing, damaging farming practices like monocultures (which exist often because they were historically imposed on the areas by colonial powers), and the wellbeing and needs of the local people and ecosystems.

This project involves the establishment of 400 Forest Gardens in the Mount Elgon region in Eastern Uganda. Each Forest Gardens is approximately one hectare each in size, and local farmers are supported and trained to establish and look after their Forest Gardens over a period of 4 years.

By the end of the 4-year programme, farmers have an established and protected Forest Garden which they can use to sustain their families and produce vital income. We estimate that across the 4-year project period our community will fund the planting of around 1.6 million trees as part of this Mbale project.