Partnership Building and Stakeholder Participation in Soil erosion management: A case study of Kasitu sub-county in Bundibugyo district, Mt Rwenzori region

Abstract

Partnership building and stakeholder participation is a key element for sustainable natural resources management. Soil is a natural resource, which is much under threat to degradation and exhaustion due to poor management practices by users. In Kasitu sub-county Bundibugyo district, in the Rwenzori region, many unsustainable practices and neglect to conserve, and replenish the resource have exposed the soils to much erosion, loss of productivity as well as landslides. The extension system that trained farmers on different soil management practices and enforced bylaws to practice and manage soils during the colonial era is long collapsed. This paper narrates the participatory processes, methods and management approaches the ECOSTAR project, a partnership between the Bundibugyo district and the World Agroforestry Centre in partnership with stakeholders including the grassroot communities used to formulate, adapt and implement innovative methodologies for sustainable soil management. The experience generated would ensue into identification of best practices and scaling up of interventions in other areas of the district for the sustainable management of soils and curbing of erosion, which is a major problem facing this mountainous region.