The grant and technical assistance (TA) will allow NFC to develop the final business investment proposal for carbon certification in Uganda, for sustainable smallholder growth and timber market diversification. The investment proposal will contribute significantly to support landscape carbon preparation and certification. The aim is generating carbon finance to support planting and new land acquisition, timber processing diversification, conservation activities, and smallholder afforestation and livelihoods.
The grant and TA will be used for:
- Project establishment including reviewing of tools, communications and carbon options
- Community engagement and safeguard actions with key stakeholders
- Carbon model finalisation including baseline studies, conservation area mapping, plantation verification and certification
- Post certification activities including off-taker search and selection
- Timber diversification project review and decision in H1 Y2020
About NFC
The New Forests Company (NFC) is a successful forestry and timber processing company operating in East Africa since 2006, with a presence in Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda. In Uganda the company has three plantations - managing almost 20,000 ha of land for commercial forestry. 40% of that is preserved for conservation to protect crucial waterways and promote landscape restoration and biodiversity.
Project impact
The project is expected to create a positive impact for people, nature and climate:
People
- Support of rural livelihoods
- Income diversification
- Enabling longer-term financial planning
- Strengthen capacity of communities and associations
- Support economic development and job creation
- Provide training and guidance by professional forest managers
Nature
- Change of land use, from farming to woodlots
- Hybrid land use approach recommended for communities (mix of trees, with food crops + cash crops)
- Reduce of wood harvesting pressure in natural forests
- Restoration of riparian areas and natural forests
- Displacement of damaging activities to outside the project area
Climate
- Carbon sequestration and storage
Contribution towards Sustainable Development Goals
This project also facilitates progress towards fulfilling the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
#1 No Poverty
#2 Zero hunger
#8 Decent work and economic growth
#9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure
#10 Reduced inequalities
#13 Climate action
#15 Life on Land
#17 Partnership for the goals
Uganda’s contributions to the Paris Agreement
The proposed project fits very well with the Indicative Nationally Declared Commitments (INDC) Contribution of Uganda as made, for the Paris Agreement.
This project will be directly targeting the Uganda Forestry Adaptation and Mitigation Commitments (1.1, 1.3, 2.1 and 2.2) and is very aligned with Uganda’s INDC, and NFC’s current and future operations will continue to strengthen and build on this.
Natural climate solutions, such as afforestation and restoration of biodiversity, including carbon sequestration projects aimed at mitigating climate change, contribute to reversing deforestation and to the Uganda national commitments to the Bonn Challenge.
Expanding timber processing plants, through diversification and growing the Uganda timber market for both domestic consumption and exports, supports the government’s economic development agenda.
About WWF Uganda
From impact on the fast-changing climate to free-flowing rivers, expansive life-giving oceans to vast food supplying landscapes, WWF Uganda Country Office catalyses strategic initiatives. They work where the greatest need is to restore balance, reduce impact and protect the country’s vital resources and natural biodiversity.
By ensuring healthy functioning natural systems, and the species and communities that are an integral part of them, WWF Uganda helps restore and reinforce our planet’s natural defences.
Contact: For more information, please contact Keiron Brand, African Regional Lead for the DFCD, on kbrand@wwf.nl
