Chimpanzee Trust has mitigated Human Wildlife Conflict effects of crop raiding through encouraging Farmers to plant non- palatable crops.

This has been possible through our project entitled “Community adaptability to loss occasioned by wildlife in Uganda”.

The project is addressing Human wild life conflicts in the Bugoma Forest Landscape. The project is supporting farmers through implementing several interventions.

The protected areas such as Bugoma Central Forest Reserve (CFR) and wild life habitats outside protected areas such as private and community forests harbor wild animal populations that pose threats while inflicting costs on communities that live at front line.

The concerns include crop raiding, economic and social losses and loss of human life or injury.

In the Bugoma CFR area, there has been limited effort to manage human wildlife conflict, and specifically address impacts of Human Wildlife Conflict (HWC) on local communities.

Through HWC management, it is believed that rural livelihoods have been better protected, vulnerability reduced and losses counter balanced with benefits and community-based conservation.

During the planting season in March and April 2020, the organization has supported 240 farmers who are at the frontline in the conservation of wildlife.

The communities are also most affected by crop raids and we have been providing them with non-palatable crops such as Ginger, Irish potatoes, Soy bean and onions that are not raided by wild animals.

In May 2020, follow ups have been going on to find out if they planted the crops given to them as well as on how to manage their crop enterprises.
This is what they had to say…

’’My Irish potatoes are now growing well and are not disturbed by chimpanzees and baboons, unlike if I had planted maize’’ Birengeso Alice from Kyaisamba Village.

’’I have been growing soybean for many years but this particular supplied variety is of, very good quality and grows fast.’’ Sunday Patrick from Kyaisamba Village.

We are grateful to the Darwin Initiatives for supporting this project model in mitigating the Human Wildlife Conflicts in the Albertine region.

We believe that when this project ends in 2021 there will be a reduction in human wildlife conflict and contribute to house hold incomes.

We shall also publish two research papers under the following topics

• The impact of cropping system on mitigating crop raids by wildlife.
• Assessing the institutional frame work for effective human wildlife conflict management