INTRODUCTION

Agricultural land occupies approximately 38% of the planet's land surface and the spread and intensification of agriculture are recognised as two of the most important global threats to wildlife.

Farming in Uganda in undergoing a massive series of changes. One of the main pillars of the Ugandan governments commitment to eradicate poverty is to modernize farming by improving crop husbandry and increasing farmer access to suitable markets. These changes will inevitably impact on biodiversity.

In April 2005, BTO was awarded a grant by the Darwin Initiative to investigate this problem, determine how the changes in farming will impact on birds, invertebrates and/or plants and devise methods of mitigating some of these negative effects.

THE PROJECT
This four-year project formally ended in 2009, although many of the results are still being worked on. The project was carried out in the banana-coffee arc around Lake Victoria. The aim was to identify a series of best practices for sustainable agricultural development that benefit both biodiversity and farmer. This wide-ranging project had major research, capacity building and dissemination aspects.

The final report is currently being reviewed and will be available once comments have been received and acted on. For further information, please contact Phil Atkinson here

LATEST NEWS

September 2009: Thesis submitted!
In September 2009, Dianah Nalwanga submitted her PhD thesis 'Conservation of biodiversity on farmlands in Uganda: using birds as indicators', after four years of hard work. She is now working on three papers to be submitted to international journals. Congratulations Dianah!

August 2009: New Policy Brief
The policy brief that was requested by the Ugandan Government was produced. This is an interim version as the work from the PhD students was still being worked on. Once the entomological PhD student has submitted (31 October 2009) funding will be sought to update the brief with these results. It can be downloaded here



 
   
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