SLOW FOOD UGANDA JOINS CSOS TO ADVOCATE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT IN RESPONSE TO THE FINANCIAL YEAR 2024/25 NATIONAL BUDGET FRAMEWORK

In efforts to address critical environmental and natural resource management concerns, Slow Food
Uganda joined forces with prominent Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) including Participatory
Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) Uganda and Civile Society Budget Advocacy Group
(CSBAG) to develop a CSO Position Paper in response to the FY 2024/25 National Budget Framework
Paper. This collaborative initiative underscores a dedicated commitment to advocate for sustainable
policies and practices in the domains of natural resources, environment, climate change, land, and
water resources management.
The CSO Position Paper delves into a range of pressing issues and offers strategic recommendations
aimed at addressing the multifaceted challenges within the view of environmental conservation and
natural resource management. Notably, the paper highlights critical concerns pertaining to climate
change, the protracted delays in the approval of the reviewed Forest Policy, the escalating
encroachment of wetlands, inadequate funding for waste and water quality management, as well as
the insufficient investment in the operation and maintenance of urban and rural water supply
infrastructure.
Furthermore, the CSO Position Paper underscores the authoritative need for prioritizing the Disaster
Preparedness and Management bill, which has regrettably not been accorded due precedence.
Additionally, it draws attention to the limited integration and dissemination of indigenous
knowledge in early warning systems for natural disasters, emphasizing the need for a more inclusive
and holistic approach to disaster risk reduction and management.
By uniting around these critical issues, like-minded CSOs endeavour to amplify the collective voice
and drive meaningful advocacy efforts that prioritize the preservation and sustainable management
of natural resources, the environment, and the broader ecosystem. This strategic alliance seeks to
stimulate policymakers and stakeholders to proactively address these challenges and institute
practical measures that safeguard the ecological integrity and resilience of Uganda's natural
landscape.
Through this collaborative advocacy effort, Slow Food Uganda and partners aim to influence the
policy makers to stimulate a positive change, promote environmental sustainability, and advocate
for policies that uphold the long-term well-being of both present and future generations.
In summary, the CSO Position Paper stands as a call to action, urging policymakers and stakeholders
to heed the collective voice of CSOs and proactively address the pressing environmental and natural
resource management imperatives outlined within the context of the FY 2024/25 National Budget
Framework Paper. It underscores the need for concerted and sustained efforts to institute policies
and practices that safeguard Uganda's natural heritage and contribute to sustainable development
for the benefit of all. This paper was presented by CSBAG on behalf of all CSOs involved and the
delegation presented a consolidated paper from all other 11 programme papers with at least only 2
issues from each paper to the parliamentary committee on Finance.