Quarterly Report: USAID/Uganda Biodiversity for Resilience Activity (B4R) Activity

The activity is implemented by RTI International and has a total budget of $4,135,863, with African Wildlife Foundation, Conservation Through Public Health, and Viamo as sub-awardees. The activity's goal is to be achieved through three interrelated outcomes: linking economic, financial, and social investments to conservation; establishing governance arrangements that benefit biodiversity and enable communities to benefit from biodiversity; and strengthening the Government of Uganda's sustainable management of targeted protected areas and biodiversity adjacent to protected areas. The activity is initially prioritizing the conservation of key biodiversity in four primary geographies: the Karenga Community Wildlife Area (KCWA) near Kidepo Valley National Park, the Central Forest Reserves of Nyagea Napore, Rom, Timu, Lwala, and Morungole, the Murchison Community Conservancy (MCC) near Murchison Falls National Park, the Rurambira Conservancy near Lake Mburo National Park, and the Budongo Central Forest Reserve. During the reporting period, B4R successfully conducted due diligence and appraisal for four potential Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) grant recipients, including Golden Bees, Kara Tunga Arts & Tours, Kijani Forestry, and Rwempogo Dairy Cooperative. These private enterprises have the potential to sustainably provide conservation economic incentives and benefits to 2,230 direct beneficiaries and 8,920 indirect beneficiaries through honey production enterprise development, tourism promotion, innovative agroforestry, and dairy production. B4R also conducted a "Conservation Coffee" assessment in Budongo and an aquaculture feasibility assessment on Lake Kachera (Rurambira Conservancy). Additionally, the activity successfully presented the draft Conservancy Road Map to UWA, USAID, and NRT for technical review and input, and began tailoring individual land use plans for the conservancies. The activity's geographic coverage includes the Karenga, Kaabong, Abim, Kotido, Kitgum, Agago, Pakwach, Nwoya, Masindi, Isingiro, Kiruhura, Rakai districts, and Mbarara City. The activity may expand to the Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kalinzu Central Forest Reserve areas in future, should resources allow. The activity's key achievements during the reporting period include the successful conduct of due diligence and appraisal for four potential SIF grant recipients, the completion of a "Conservation Coffee" assessment in Budongo, and the initiation of individual land use plans for the conservancies. These achievements are expected to contribute to the activity's overall goal of conserving and managing biodiversity in target ecosystems for lasting environmental and economic sustainability and increased community and household resilience. The activity's implementation progress is being monitored through a variety of indicators, including the number of private sector enterprises engaged, the number of conservancies established, and the number of community members benefiting from the activity. The activity's performance is being evaluated against these indicators, and adjustments are being made as necessary to ensure that the activity is meeting its goals and objectives. The activity's strategic approach is focused on engaging the private sector, supporting conservancies to be professionally, operationally, and financially sustainable, and promoting resiliency tactics. The activity is also prioritizing the inclusion of women, youth, and other marginalized people, private sector engagement, capacity building, and the deliberate use of collaborating, learning, and adapting (CLA) techniques. The activity's geographic focus is on the Karenga Community Wildlife Area (KCWA) near Kidepo Valley National Park, the Central Forest Reserves of Nyagea Napore, Rom, Timu, Lwala, and Morungole, the Murchison Community Conservancy (MCC) near Murchison Falls National Park, the Rurambira Conservancy near Lake Mburo National Park, and the Budongo Central Forest Reserve. The activity may expand to the Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kalinzu Central Forest Reserve areas in future, should resources allow. The activity's timeframes are as follows: the activity began on June 1, 2020, and is expected to end on June 1, 2025. The reporting period for this quarterly report is April 1, 2021, to June 30, 2021.