Impact of the community environment conservation fund on financial inclusion and conservation of shea trees in Northern Uganda

Abstract

The conservation of the shea tree (vitellaria paradoxa subsp. nilotica), a vital ecological and economic resource, has been a significant challenge in Northern Uganda. Traditional conservation strategies, often relying on command-and-control policies (regulation and enforcement) have shown limited success in reducing deforestation and the risk of extinction of the shea trees. The Community Environment Conservation Fund emerged as an innovative intervention that combines financial incentives with community-driven conservation. Through a revolving fund, the Community Environment Conservation Fund aimed at fostering financial inclusion and alternative livelihoods to reduce over-dependence on unsustainable livelihood activities such as charcoal burning, which increases the risk of extinction of the shea trees. Furthermore, the CECF incorporates elements of enforcement through community by-laws to strengthen the conservation of shea trees as well as the management of the revolving funds. While the potential of the Community Environment Conservation Fund is promising, its impact on financial inclusion and conservation of shea trees remains unexplored hence limiting its scalability. This dissertation evaluated the impact of the Community Environment Conservation Fund on financial inclusion and conservation of shea trees. The specific objectives were; first, to assess the opportunities and challenges in the implementation of the Community Environment Conservation Fund. Second, to examine the impact of the Community Environment Conservation Fund on financial inclusion, and lastly, to evaluate the performance of the Community Environment Conservation Fund in promoting the conservation of shea trees. This dissertation consists of six chapters where the first chapter presents the background of the study, problem statement, objectives, research hypotheses, the significance of the study, and the structure of the dissertation. The second chapter presents the literature and the conceptual framework. The third chapter assesses the implementation process of the Community Environment Conservation Fund, highlighting the influential actors, opportunities, and challenges encountered in the implementation process. The fourth chapter examines the impact of the Community Environment Conservation Fund on financial inclusion. The fifth chapter evaluates the impact of the Community Environment Conservation Fund on the conservation of shea trees. The last chapter presents the general discussion, recommendations, limitations of the study, and areas for further research