Advances in wildlife and environment management in Uganda

Abstract

This publication is a summary of the submissions, proceedings and presentations that were captured during the conservation conference held in February 2023, that featured advances in environment and wildlife conservation in Uganda, particularly elucidating Knowledge Contributions of the Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) and non-STEM actors, around three sub themes namely, 1) Data Deficiencies limiting Interventions and Partnerships for Wildlife and Environment Conservation in Uganda, to guide research interventions 2) Building Knowledge and 3)Synergies for Wildlife and Environment Management, pegged on research, management experiences, contemporary policy and political challenges in perspectives, respectively. Held at Makerere University Central Teaching Facility (CTF) 2 Auditorium on the 9th of February 2023, from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm, as part of Uganda’s National events to mark the United Nations (UN) World Wildlife Day (WWD) celebrated annually every 3rd day of March. The conference proceedings were accessible to both physical and virtual participants that totalled to 283 individuals of which 13 were technical presenters, the rest being an audience made of participants from the academia, private sector, civil society, government agencies, ministries and the general public. While given in details in this publication, summarily, proceedings and technical presentations realised during the conservation conference 2023 reveal among others, the critical data gaps limiting, management of wildlife and environment in Uganda, the lacking but required stakeholder synergies that would improve wildlife and environment management in the country, areas of research in wildlife and environment that are important but currently given little or no attention in Uganda, and the need for full cost allocation in environment and social impacts of projects assessment. Also revealed by the conference submissions are a number of hypotheses on the relevance of targeted beneficiaries’ involvement in identification of interventions, for the success of wildlife and environment conservation projects and programmes. Knowledge shared in this publication will in particular be valuable for policy makers, practitioners, researchers, the academic, civil society and private sector whose business, work and or interest are in Uganda’s wildlife and environment. Keywords: Wildlife conservation; data deficiencies; synergies; partnership