Youth River Advocacy in Uganda: Sparking an Agroecology Movement

Like all rivers, River Rwizi in Western Uganda is a lifeline. When industrial pollution began entering the river system, one of the most pressing challenges for the local community was the contamination of critical farmlands along the riverbanks. And then something inspiring happened: the young people in the region took action. And they didn’t just host the conventional river clean-up or raise awareness, they set off a ripple of actions that is inspiring a new agroecology movement in the region.

Agroecology is the art and science of farming in line with ecosystems’ limits, combining both scientific and indigenous knowledge for sustainable agricultural practice. It promotes regenerative farming practices, relying on ecological processes and nutrient cycles adapted to local conditions rather than dependence on external inputs.

Gerald Barkeye, a fellow in Commonweal’s Omega Resilience Awards (ORA) program, helped to mobilize the campaign to clean up the river, and in 2020 he established the youth-led Centre for Environmental Research and Agriculture Innovations (CERAI) as a direct response to the River Rwizi campaign. CERAI is now an established advocacy arm, mobilizing youth to protect and restore the river and its surrounding environment.

As CERAI grows, it is broadening its scope to address environmental issues throughout Uganda. Committed to conserving the environment and biodiversity, the organization conducts policy research and advocacy to influence environmental, energy, and gricultural policies for the benefit of local communities.

In Uganda, more than 23,000 households have been displaced to make way for oil pipelines, affecting people who rely on agriculture for their livelihoods. Agricultural productivity is low in the area, and food insecurity is high. New, sustainable agriculture practices are needed that prioritize environmental stewardship and enhance resilience in food systems.

Gerald notes, “Despite Uganda’s rich agricultural potential, the country’s agriculture sector continues to face significant environmental challenges ranging from soil degradation, loss of biodiversity, water pollution characterized by agriculture chemicals, climate change patterns, and limited market access.”

As a fellow in Commonweal’s ORA program, Gerald learned about the ORA research grant program, which supports collaborative projects rooted in learning and direct action. He worked with ORA co-directors Andrea Frey and Mark Valentine to create an ORA-backed project that will allow CERAI to expand its vision to help heal their local ecosystem through a regional agroecology project.

The project is taking an ecological approach, working at multiple levels: improving livelihoods in an important region in Uganda; using the field work to strengthen national and regional alliances; and encouraging policy changes towards agroecological farming in Uganda and across Africa. On the ground, the project will be carried out in communities in Western Uganda (Kikuube and Hoima located in Albertine Graben) that have been impacted by oil and gas activities.

More than 500 participants, including women and youth, will benefit from the project, equipping them with the skills to be more effective farmers as well as advocates in the transition to environmentally sustainable agricultural practices.

This project goes beyond merely supporting 500 participants; it has the potential to ignite movements and create change across Africa, addressing various issues that promote resilience. From combating the practices of extraction and oil companies to fostering a robust agricultural sector that operates using regenerative practices (without GMOs), valuable skills are being developed.

This initiative could lead to impactful campaigns that harness the amplifying effect of grassroots efforts across African nations including Nigeria and Senegal where the agroecology movement and the NoToGMO campaign is deepening.

Moreover, it holds the power to establish a moral ecosystem that prioritizes resilience and community building.

These agroecology farming practices hold the potential to not only improve the livelihoods of participating farmers but also their ability to be resilient in the face of significant environmental changes. And, CERAI hopes this move towards resilience will empower farmers to be advocates within their own communities, sharing their knowledge and helping to expand the use of agroecological practices.

“It’s incredibly inspiring that this work started with a youth-led river advocacy campaign,” says ORA Co-Director Mark Valentine. “We are teamed up with CERAI because we firmly believe in the importance of youth movements that engage young people in the crucial fight for a resilient future.”

With a research grant from ORA, the project is kicking off this year with two sustainable agriculture demonstration sites and five agroecology gardens in five primary schools in Hoima and Kikuube districts. As the work grows, CERAI hopes that they will see the use of inorganic chemicals drop in half while food security is expected to go up to 30%.

But, the human network is possibly even more important. The project is creating four new farmer groups in the districts of Buliisa, Kikuube, Hoima and Lwengo. Additionally, the project is establishing networks, forging alliances, and collaborating with policymakers and community leaders to create a strong network of practitioners working on this common cause of spreading the adoption of agroecological farming practices.

“We are purposeful in our efforts to cultivate an ORA community,” says ORA Co-Director Andrea Frey, “Beyond our wildest dreams, ORA is uniting fellows, anchor organizations and networks to collectively shape a shared narrative for the future around the world.”

Starting in 2022, ORA has provided more than 18 research grants and awarded 42 fellowships to people working across the globe to support healing, justice, and resilience in the face of turbulent times.

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ORA is one of Commonweal's programs working toward personal and community resilience. These programs include:

OMEGA: omega.ngo
Omega Resilience Awards: ORAwards.org
The Resilience Project: omega.ngo
West Marin Climate Action: westmarinclimateaction.org

Photo at top: The River Rwizi in Mbarara in western Uganda is a lifefline for critical farmlands along the riverbanks.
Photo: BalukuBrian, Wikemedia commons

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