Mukadasi Buyinza

The Effects of Crop Raiding on Household Food Security in the Albertine Rift: A Case Study of Queen Elizabeth National Park, Western Uganda

We examined the effects of crop raiding by wild animals on household food security of the people in two sub counties adjacent to Queen Elizabeth National Park in Western Uganda. Data were collected from 541 households using a questionnaire and focus group discussions in a controlled and blocked household survey in Kichwamba and Nyakiyumbu sub counties in the Districts of Bushenyi and Kasese, respectively. Food security was examined by using dietary diversity indices. Crop raiding dominated by elephants resulted in 14% annual reduction in household food security of park-adjacent communities. It is recommended that a crop raiding mitigation fund be established to maintain elephant trenches and building capacity for local people to manage crop raiding and a multidisciplinary agriculture extension be started in the area to increase agricultural production and household incomes in order to prevent heavy dependency on protected area resources.

Restore, reform or transform forestry education in Uganda?

The role of participatory approaches to forestry has increased dramatically, and meeting the needs of people is now seen as a primary function of forestry. These changes present both strategic and practical challenges, constraints and opportunities for forestry education. The important changes in forestry education include the shift from teacher-to student-centred learning and rapid technological developments. If forestry education is to meet its new challenges, it needs to undergo deep transformation. This paper discusses the changing social perceptions and demands onto the forest sector and their implications to forestry education. It reflect on the current status of forestry education, and describes the drivers for change in the delivery of forest education in Uganda.