Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air and turn it into biomass. PHOTO/V. Meadu

Amidst worldwide concern over climate change largely blamed on emissions from fossil fuel, there is an appreciation of the role of trees in absorbing carbon dioxide from the air (carbon sequestration).

Ongoing destruction of forests is, however, reducing the carbon sequestration services of trees and thereby accelerating climate change.

Coffee trees provide income to farmers from the sale of coffee beans but an added benefit is that coffee trees sequester atmospheric carbon. In recent decades, though, farmers have suffered from low coffee prices and have reduced the acreage under coffee.
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Part of the highlands of western Uganda. PHOTO/V. Meadu

Carbon offsetting in south western and western parts of Uganda is a relatively new approach to mitigate climate change in the region. It is implemented by the Environmental Conservation Trust of Uganda (ECOTRUST) under the Trees for Global Benefit Program, but has received additional support from ICRAF through the Pro-poor Rewards for Environmental Services in Africa (PRESA) project.

PRESA’s overall goal is to have “hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers and residents living in the highlands of East and West Africa benefiting from fair and effective agreements between stewards and beneficiaries of ecosystem services.”

The carbon offsetting scheme implemented by ECOTRUST is unique in that it targets small scale farmers who, by virtue of their holdings, are poor. In Africa, such initiatives are not common. It should be noted that prior to initiation of the project, scoping studies ensured that the project was designed to fit and address community needs and challenges.

In Uganda, the carbon offset scheme is operational and it involves rural communities planting trees on their land for carbon sequestration but with a management objective based on their land holdings and needs. The benefits accruing from this initiative are both direct and indirect.
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A section of participants at the World Congress on Agroforestry held in Nairobi in August 2009. PHOTO/ICRAF.

Participants to a forum on payments for environmental services have proposed looking at other ecosystem services beyond carbon markets in order to encourage small scale farmers to engage in sustainable land practices.

Various approaches and tools were presented at the technical session to show how a variety of ecosystem services can be bundled, for example REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) combined with forest carbon markets.

Eco-labeling environmentally friendly products was presented as another viable option.

The session titled, “Rewards for the environmental services of Agroforestry” was held during the just concluded World Congress of Agroforestry in Nairobi, Kenya. Over 1,200 people attending the Congress participated in rigorous scientific discussions on up-scaling agroforestry to meet development challenges.

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Aerial view of Istanbul. PHOTO/World Water Forum

A trees-for-carbon payments programme by a PRESA partner was highlighted as a successful rewards for environmental services scheme during the 5th World Water Forum in Istanbul, Turkey from 16-22 March 2009.

Ecotrust Uganda presented its programme, ‘Trees for Global Benefits,’ at a session titled, “Water and Food for Ending Poverty and Hunger.” The session discussed how market measures can contribute to rural development and poverty eradication.

Participants to the Forum were interested in Ecotrust’s experience with Trees for Global Benefits. Ecotrust is a PRESA partner at the Albertine Rift site in Uganda where it facilitates the negotiation of carbon payments that encourage farmers to plant trees.

The organization’s Executive Director Pauline Nantongo also participated in sessions that dealt with water and sanitation rights as well as ethics, transparency and empowerment of stakeholders.
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In 2008 PRESA core coordination team and partners made progress on site-level implementation of project activities, capacity and partnerships building as well as fund raising.

Workshops

In late April we organized a successful start-up meeting of the International Advisory Committee (IAC) workshop in Entebbe, Kampala. This was followed by site visits and preparations of the project’s 2008 annual workplan and budget.

In September, PRESA participated in the East and Southern African Katoomba Group meeting in Dar es Salaam and Morogoro. We co-sponsored a training funded by USAID, and facilitated the attendance of eight site-level and national level partners. In addition to the public meeting, the coordination team and partners attended the pre-conference training, where Dr. Brent Swallow gave a lecture on payments for biodiversity services.

During the conference we officially launched PRESA activities in Tanzania and engaged the private sector in dialogue on the links between ecosystem management and business. We also held the second meeting of our International Advisory Committee.

Site level

PRESA collaborators are undertaking baseline syntheses in all the sites. Results from these baseline syntheses are already informing the project’s 2009 annual budget and workplan. (more…)

Thanks to payments from smallholder carbon farming and the sale of traditional crafts made from wetland resources, communities in south-western Uganda can access loans and training, resulting in improved living standards and greater confidence to participate in civil affairs.

Demand for land is putting a strain on the Albertine Rift. PHOTO/V. Meadu

Techniques used to mobilize people into caring for their environment have fostered closer co-operation among community members. Meanwhile, the area’s biodiversity is much safer from the encroachment of disruptive economic activities.

PRESA’s interest in western Uganda arose from these existing projects which are forms of rewards for ecosystem services. PRESA is already engaging with grassroots organizations to enhance the benefits directed at smallholders as part of its “Pro – poor” mandate.
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Students from across the world are gaining a practical perspective on rewards for environmental services by working with target communities at PRESA sites.

Left to right: Rohit Jindal, Mamta Vardhan, Sarah Carter and Janet Fisher

The PRESA students are liaising with development organizations and government departments as they seek to understand the policy context behind rewards for environmental services.

Currently, PRESA has four students working at the Tanzania and Uganda sites. (more…)