PADER, Uganda — Stakeholders implementing the Transformative Approach to Sustainable Landscapes and Livelihoods (TASLL) project in Northern Uganda have reviewed achievements made under the initiative and outlined plans to sustain conservation and livelihood activities after the project’s official wind-down.
The high-level stakeholder engagement brought together implementing partners, local government officials and community representatives to assess progress, address challenges and establish a transition plan to ensure continuity of restoration efforts in the Agoro-Agu landscape.
The TASLL Northern Uganda project focused on conserving more than 65,548 hectares of natural forest across the Agoro-Agu landscape, which stretches through Lamwo, Pader, Kitgum and Agago districts in the Acholi sub-region.
The project aimed to address deforestation by supporting the sustainable restoration of 15,000 hectares through the planting of six million native trees, including areas hosting refugee communities.
During the engagement, stakeholders discussed the impact of the withdrawal of funding from the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), which supported the project.
However, ECOTRUST leadership said the project had been designed with sustainability and exit strategies in mind, allowing conservation activities to continue beyond donor funding.
Freddie Kalibwani, representing ECOTRUST, said the organisation would continue supporting participating households through its long-running Trees for Global Benefit (TGB) programme.
“We received word from the donor that they are unlikely to provide additional funding. However, the design of this project already anticipated its conclusion. We prepared for this exit strategy, and our message today is clear: we are ready,” Kalibwani said.
“How do you exit a forestry project? You stay with your trees. We are going nowhere because the trees are right here. We are now transitioning from TASLL to Trees for Global Benefit, falling back on our mother programme. Projects may come and go, but we remain.”
He added that ECOTRUST is committed to working with participating households for the next 25 years as they move towards carbon market opportunities.
Gerald Kairu, ECOTRUST Head of Programmes, said the transition would ensure farmers continue receiving technical support as they join the carbon project.
“We are ensuring that the activities don’t stop here, they continue. That’s why we call it transitioning from the donor-funded FCDO to the ECOTRUST-supported Trees for Global Benefit project,” Kairu said.
“We are still around, so we shall continue supporting these farmers until they join the carbon project. They sign what they call the carbon sales contracts, not land contracts.”
Over its two-year implementation period, TASLL recorded several achievements, including digitally mapping 5,000 farmers through household visits, training 22 local tree nursery operators and planting 508,820 trees.
The planted trees included naturalised species such as teak (Tectona grandis), as well as fruit trees including jackfruit and avocado.
To promote restoration using indigenous species, the project conducted 45 community engagements, leading to the planting of 416,488 native trees covering more than 1,041 hectares.
Digital monitoring of planted trees showed a survival success rate of 98.6% among trees planted during the 2025 season, according to project data.
Beyond environmental conservation, the initiative also focused on strengthening household resilience through social inclusion programmes. Using Gender Action Learning Systems (GALS) approaches, 3,430 community members — including 2,227 men and 1,203 women — were trained in collaborative land-use planning.
ECOTRUST is also developing alternative income-generating activities, including apiculture and shea value chain enterprises, to provide communities with economic opportunities as they wait for long-term carbon benefits.
Kairu said the organisation plans to establish a centre of excellence in Pader and honey collection centres in Lamwo and Agago to strengthen local enterprises.
“The intention is to support our people to improve their livelihood. There’s nothing else to benefit from this; the moment you improve somebody’s livelihood, you have done your job,” he said.
The sustainability plan will involve collaboration with district local governments, the National Forestry Authority (NFA), and the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE).
Key partners involved include Resident District Commissioners, Chief Administrative Officers, District Forest Officers, District Community Development Officers, and Local Council leaders.
Richard Ociti, Lamwo District Environmental Officer and project focal person, said the initiative had contributed to district development priorities, particularly in establishing woodlots and improving livelihoods.
“We are deeply grateful for this project because it has directly contributed to our targets in the District Development Plan, particularly in establishing woodlots and boosting local livelihoods,” Ociti said.
“The milestones achieved so far are remarkable. Moving forward, our focus is to continue supporting our beneficiary groups to ensure these benefits are sustained.”
Proscovia Kisembo, the Regional Coordinator for TASLL, thanked district authorities for their support since the project began in 2024, particularly in mobilising farmers, providing seedlings and monitoring restoration activities.
“We look forward to working with the leaders as we head towards the transition,” Kisembo said.
As part of cost optimisation, physical project offices in Agago, Lamwo and Pader will close, with operations consolidated at the regional Kitgum hub. ECOTRUST said the move will allow continued support while preserving the environmental and economic gains achieved under TASLL.