Unidos Social Innovation Center

Uganda

Name: Unidos Social Innovation Center
Country: Uganda
Year of establishment: 2018
Type of organization: Agroforestry, Ecosystem restoration, Regenerative agriculture, Sustainable use of natural resources

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Unidos Social Innovation Center

Uganda

Name: Unidos Social Innovation Center
Country:
Year of establishment:
Type of organization: Agroforestry, Ecosystem restoration, Regenerative agriculture, Sustainable use of natural resources

Share this solution:

Description

We are an organized group of refugees living in Uganda Nakivale refugee camp that shelters over 20,000 refugees- 12,000 families from neighboring countries such as Congo, Burundi, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Sudan. Since 2018, we have come together to deal with the hunger crises in our community due to the decrease of humanitarian food aid, and to help create livelihood opportunities through regenerative approaches. Our activities are providing inclusive education, socioeconomic opportunities, empowerment, and entrepreneurial skills. We offer several courses, including English, business and leadership, and female empowerment through ( Organic soap making, Mushroom production, and tree planting programs,) to be financially independent and contribute to the local economy from these income-generating activities that they are doing. Natural farming training, soil regeneration with vermicomposting techniques, food gardening designs, and food waste recycling.

Nature Element: Agricultural, Grasslands and drylands
Type of Action: Agroforestry, Ecosystem restoration, Regenerative agriculture, Sustainable use of natural resources
Sustainable Development Element: Jobs and livelihoods (SDG 1) , Food security (SDG 2) , Climate action (SDG 13) , Partnerships (SDG 17)

Environmental Impacts

With nearly 2800 farmers trained in initiating food forests and vermicomposting projects for land regeneration and increased organic food production, our impact is amplified. We are recycling 2 tons of food waste per week, which leads to several additional environmental and socioeconomic benefits, by reducing food waste while creating valuable end-products (vermicompost- which is roughly 25% to 30 % of the waste recycled). Moreover, 30% of of farmers reported increased food production, resulting in a 2% higher harvest yield each season compared to chemical fertilization. A promising shift towards organic food cultivation! Improving soil water retention is a gradual but promising process, with drainage rates improving from 10 cm/hour to 8 cm/hour after vermicompost application, making the soil suitable for vegetable crops. We also designed 6 food forests in Nakivale and Kyangwale to promote biodiversity and mitigate climate-related challenges' impact on food production. Our multifaceted approach integrates environmental restoration with sustainable development of agricultural practices by empowering a resilient and thriving farming community.

Sustainable Development Impacts

Gender equality (SDG 5) - providing opportunities for women and youth in terms of training and employment. At least 10 youth and 10 women engaged in the initiative. Sustainable communities and disaster risk reduction (SDG 11) - The initiative has been able to provide livelihood for 10 women from the composting, the community garden as well as the recycling programme. Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12) - 600 households within Cashew Gardens now practice better waste management with realized reduction in waste ending up in the landfills. Partnerships (SDG 17) - The initiative has seen the development of NGO-Public-Private partnership with local government agencies such as SWMCOL and ICARE as well as with private persons who have donated towards it.

RESILIENCE, ADAPTABILITY, AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY

This project started in 2015 and has been running until today, even through 2023. A true testament of its resilience was the development of the organic waste/composting project during COVID-19. The organization was able to successfully develop and implement this during the pandemic, where most other communities had given up on recycling.

REDUCED INEQUALITIES

Youths have been engaged since 2015 and they are the driving force of this initiative. In Trinidad and Tobago, women are considered vulnerable since they do not have equal opportunities as men. Women also played an integral part of this initiative, especially in terms of the processing and usage of the mulch created from the composting.

GENDER EQUALITY

This initiative is women-driven and empowers women and girls to take control of waste management at the households and community levels. This project established the first women-led recyclable collection system, breaking ground for women in this field.

Scalability

After a successful pilot in Nakivale, we assessed other refugee settlements facing similar challenges. We conducted community meetings and soil assessments in Kyaka, Kyangwale and Kyeya, choosing Kyangwale for scaling up due to heightened climate change impact and reduced humanitarian aid. Starting with co-creating 4 food forest demonstration sites, we trained 100 refugees in setting up their micro food forests. Currently 70% have developed their food forest designs. Our goal is to scale up to 200 micro food forests and replicate this process in the other refugee settlements.

Replicability

With 36% of Nakivale residents being farmers, we replicate a sustainable model that reduces reliance on agro-chemicals and regenerates soil, giving farmers control and organic fertilizers. This enhances crop resilience to drought, aids pest management, and improves water retention. To achieve this, we provide training on various vermicomposting techniques and foster community engagement together with leaders and farmers on the basis of their challenges and aspirations. Our approach could be replicated in most refugee settlements through wider sharing of learnings, knowledge and resources.

Disclaimer: The content presented in this Nature-based Solutions Database is submitted directly by Unidos Social Innovation Center and does not reflect the views or positions of the UNDP Equator Initiative. We do not edit or endorse the information provided, nor are we responsible for its accuracy. Our platform serves solely as a space for Indigenous Peoples and Local Community (IPLC) organizations to showcase their work and share their stories in their own words.