The Kikonda Forest Project started in 2002 when the Uganda Ministry of Environment provided a lease agreement to have 12,000 hectares of state land developed for productive forestry, climate change mitigation and nature conservation.
Today, the forests of Kikonda are owned by the local family organization Nile Fibreboards Link which manages the land in accordance with the environmental, social and carbon sequestration criteria of the Forest Stewardship Council and the Carbon GoldStandard. Since 2012, the project is audited by independent third party certifiers who have confirmed FSC and GoldStandard compliance ever since.
Along with annual audit reports, the success of the Kikonda project for people and nature has been documented in reports such as “Biodiversity and Livelihoods Flourish in Uganda” in 2020 Link or “The Golden Forests of Uganda” in 2023 Link. These articles highlight the project as an outstanding success in East Africa, particularly emphasizing its positive impact on local employment and biodiversity.
Operating in a challenging legal and social environment, the project also received critical coverage by European media such as newspaper Neues Deutschland Link or Der Spiegel Link.
Special audits of FSC and GoldStandard have been conducted after the publication of these criticisms and conclude that the allegations were not substantive and appropriate safeguard and mitigation measures are in place Link.
The project is conscious of such criticism and has structures and continuous measures in place to address these. This includes implementation of policies governing land tenure conflicts and interaction with law enforcement agencies as well as disciplinary measures for project personnel.
For further questions regarding the project please do not hesitate to contact us: mail@global-woods-international.com