Figure 4. Percentage of district population below the poverty line
Data source: Adapted from UBOS and ILRI 2007. Map production: Wilbur Wejuli
tionships between people, resources, environment and environmental legislation in 1995. The 2000 NSOER
development. So by bringing together basic statistical discussed the environmental implications of key gov-
data, scientific and policy research and using an integrat- ernment programs such as Vision 2025, the PEAP, and
ed approach these reports have presented the informa- the Plan for the Modernisation of Agriculture (PMA).
tion in a usable and relevant format. The 2002 report addressed the principles of sustain-
able development and the relationship between poverty
The first edition of the NSOER in 1994 took stock of the and the environment. The 2004/05 report included a
environmental goods and services of the country. This section that used scenario development and modelling
provided a baseline of the natural resources at that time to provide an idea of the future environmental and eco-
supporting the development of the new constitution and nomic outlooks. The 2006 report discussed the emerg-
ing threats and opportunities from the environment
and how these may be managed in view of contempo-
rary developments. The 2008 edition, intends to look
at the environment as an asset which can be used to
create wealth and enhance well-being in line with the
government policy of ‘Prosperity for All’. This policy is
anchored on the Rural Development Strategy and aims
to reduce poverty by raising the incomes of households
through increasing access to land, labour productivity,
access to capital, and improving the economic organisa-
tion of farmers (MFPED 2008).
A key component of the NSOERs has been the use of
economic valuation. For instance, it has been estimated
that land degradation costs Uganda’s economy up to US$
625 million per annum in lost crop yields at 2002 prices
(NEMA 2004). This revelation motivated government
to embrace the sustainable land management initiative
Bare slopes in Bududa district affected by soil erosion and
of the World Bank and to include environment and land
landslides during heavy rains
degradation as a development pillar in the proposed Na-
Photo by: Goretti Kitutu tional Development Plan for Uganda.
The Uganda Case Study 15
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32