Dr. Joshua Mutabi, Commissioner MSMEs (Processing and Marketing), Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has launched Market Linkages for Livelihoods and Land Restoration (M4R) project.
Funded by the UK government, the project aims to incentivize smallholder farmers and private sector businesses to invest in land restoration initiatives targeting 60,000 smallholder farmers, restoring 40,000 hectares of land in 18 districts in mid-western, Rwenzori and Mt. Elgon regions.
M4R, is implemented by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in collaboration with Caritas Fort Portal, Caritas Hoima (HOCADEO), Caritas Tororo, and Joint Efforts to Save the Environment (JESE). The project will run from 2024 – 2027.
Ralph Weir, the Private Sector Adviser at the British High Commission Kampala said “Markets for Resilience will plant seeds of businesses which can encourage farmers to sustainably manage land and protect their livelihoods. This shows how international investors in carbon credits, development partners, and businesses can work together to support thousands of farmers across Uganda. The UK is committed to tackling the climate crisis and halting and reversing the decline in global biodiversity.”
Worth GBP 3.2M ($4,039,712) M4R is complimenting the Global EverGreening Alliance’s Restore Africa programme led by CRS in Uganda. The Restore Africa programme is a community-led land restoration programme that aims to improve livelihoods, food security and resilience to climate change of smallholder farming families while the M4R project helps farmers use climate smart and sustainable ways to restore their land while growing a mix of profitable crops and trees.
Daniel Mumuni, CRS Uganda Country Representative said “The M4R project is dedicated to enhancing the resilience of smallholder farmers by integrating climate-smart and sustainable land restoration practices into profitable and diversified agroforestry systems. By co-investing with private sector partners, we aim to incentivize and de-risk sustainable investments, ensuring that these farmers can improve their production and income while gaining access to reliable and profitable markets. Together, CRS, partners, and local communities aim to create a sustainable future that benefits both the environment and local economies.”
The M4R project is one of CRS Uganda’s projects under the Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation strategic priority area. Under this priority area, CRS collaborates with individuals, communities, local structures, and systems to develop strategies to scale nature-based solutions. This helps communities invest in project interventions and enjoy the benefits of sustainable farming and various income sources to help with strong and lasting development.
