Uganda Wildlife Authority Explains Benefit Sharing With Communities
In a bid to minimize animal-wildlife conflict and have communities benefit from wildlife living in their neighbourhoods, the Uganda Wildlife Authority regularly gives out money to the communities living near National Parks.
While announcing the latest cash handover, Sam Mwandha, the Executive Director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority emphasized the need for benefit sharing between the authority and communities for sustainable conservation.
The Executive Director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority, Sam Mwandha, says that the authority has disbursed over 3.5 billion shillings to communities neighbouring the Queen Elizabeth National Park and the Kibale Conservation Area.
The head of the wildlife authority also announced that they have trained 205 members of staff drawn from National Parks across Uganda in tourism and business management. The trainers found the staff in conservation areas where they work
Mwandha underscored the need to have the communities appreciate the importance of wildlife to their livelihoods and the national economy. He also said that the authority conducts research and monitors the wellbeing of wild animals since tourism is one of the leading income earners for Uganda.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority focuses on seven strategic areas including eco-system management, enhancing the quality of wildlife habitat, restoration of degraded areas, fire management, preservation area boundary maintenance, wildlife resource protection and capacity development.
