Kampala, Uganda – June 12, 2025 — The Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda (CCFU) has issued a powerful call to action for the inclusion of cultural heritage and indigenous knowledge systems in Uganda’s revised Wildlife Policy (2025–2034). This call was made through a newly released issue brief that highlights persistent gaps in the current 2014 Wildlife Policy, particularly the limited recognition of cultural leaders, sacred heritage sites, and community-rooted conservation practices.
The issue brief was launched at a national stakeholders’ dialogue hosted on June 12, 2025, at Onomo Hotel in Kampala. The dialogue brought together government ministries, agencies, civil society organisations, cultural leaders, private forest owners, community representatives from the Rwenzori and Bunyoro sub-regions, and media stakeholders.
Supported by the Arcus Foundation, CCFU conducted in-depth consultations in Kasese, Kikuube, Kagadi-Muhooro, Kakumiro, and Bunyangabu districts. These discussions involved cultural and religious leaders, Indigenous Minority Communities (IMGs), clan members, private forest owners, and key institutions such as the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), National Forestry Authority (NFA), and the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities (MoTWA).
“Cultural leaders are frontline custodians of biodiversity conservation. Their exclusion from conservation governance not only threatens ecological sustainability but also undermines systems of identity, belonging, and heritage that have long protected our natural resources,”
— Ms. Barbra Babweteera, Executive Director, CCFU
Francis Ruhinirwa from UWA noted that climate change is affecting the population of the chimpanzee, and adopting the use of cultural and community resources will diversify the range of resources dedicated to conservation.
Key Findings: Why Culture Matters in Conservation
The issue brief outlines several critical findings that reveal a growing disconnect between wildlife policy and cultural realities:
• Traditional leaders and clan-based norms (e.g., the Abathangyi and Abanyanja clans in Bunyoro) have historically protected species like chimpanzees.
• Cultural and ancestral values tied to sacred forests and heritage sites are routinely ignored in current compensation and resettlement processes.
• Private forests, previously used for rituals and traditional medicine, have become important chimpanzee habitats, but remain legally and financially unprotected.
• Market-based valuation alone is insufficient and risks fueling land-related disputes, weakening trust in conservation authorities, and escalating human-wildlife conflicts.
CCFU’s Recommendations for a Culturally Inclusive Wildlife Policy
To align Uganda’s Wildlife Policy with local realities and international frameworks, CCFU recommends the following:
• Institutionalise Cultural Leadership
Officially recognise and engage cultural leaders in wildlife governance at both national and local levels.
• Integrate Indigenous Knowledge Systems
Harmonise conservation strategies with traditional knowledge to better manage human-wildlife coexistence.
• Culturally Sensitive Compensation and Resettlement
Establish frameworks that recognise the spiritual and non-monetary value of sacred sites and ancestral lands.
• Equitable Benefit-Sharing
Involve cultural institutions in benefit-sharing mechanisms, including Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) and heritage-linked infrastructure development.
• Promote Inclusive Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)
Develop collaborative models to manage wildlife corridors and culturally significant landscapes in partnership with communities.
CCFU’s Cultural Approach to Ape Conservation
CCFU works with communities, government institutions, and non-state actors to promote conservation
through a culturally grounded lens. The Foundation’s research in 2014 and 2018 confirmed strong linkages between traditional beliefs and conservation practices, especially regarding great apes, highlighting cultural resources tied to ancestry, identity, rituals, folklore, and traditional medicine.
Building on these insights, CCFU, through its #CultureForChimps initiative, funded by the Arcus
Foundation, promotes the utilisation of indigenous knowledge systems for chimpanzee
conservation, sustainable livelihood options and behavioural change; forest corridor restoration and habitat protection; intergenerational cultural dialogue; human-chimpanzee conflict mitigation; national
stakeholder dialogues and policy engagement.
