Tree Planting

Karamoja Christian Ethnoveterinary Program (KACHEP)

PO Box 22 Moroto, Uganda

 

Background:

Karamoja is in the arid-semi-arid-lands of NE region of Uganda, East Africa. The Karamojong (920,000) are semi-nomadic pastoralists closely related to those in Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya. They struggle with resources, coupled by cross-border and internal raiding with small arms insecurities. This area lags behind the rest of the country in development indices.

Karamoja’s problems are complex; at the centre of the problems are limited natural resources.  Historically, the pastoralists’ indigenous cultural approach was able to resolve recurrent problems relating to food security, health care, conflict and discipline.  Struggles over natural resources combined with inappropriate external support has led to increased human-to-human conflict.  This has caused spiraling insecurity and erosion of indigenous systems.  Both the internal and external infrastructures are affected by this insecurity.  The weakened infrastructure of the local people prevents adequate knowledge transfer and control, whereas the limited external infrastructure affects communication and transport, leading to ineffective service delivery.

Program overview:

In March 1998, Karamoja Christian Ethnoveterinary Program (KACHEP registered Uganda NGO in April 2004) began as a project in Bokora, Moroto district under an international NGO (CVM - Seattle, USA).  It operates in Moroto and Nakapiripirit districts; is based in Nabilatuk with a field office in Iriiri.  KACHEP’s strength lies in its deep relationships in over 60 communities and the creation of a traditional animal-healers’ network. The program is livestock development with the goal of promoting indigenous herbal livestock medicine by the initiative of the pastoralists. KACHEP seeks to promote peace and build the capacity of healers through participatory conflict resolution. They are committed to the improvement of livelihoods of the Karamojong rural households through re-establishment of a sustainable agro-pastoral society. A Board of Trustees through a secretariat /Project Manager and an administrator manages KACHEP.

Mission:

The Program strives to see the agro-pastoral people of Karamoja utilize their abundant resources of local herbs and wealth of indigenous knowledge to re establish themselves into a sustainable agro-pastoral society people’s initiatives and partners.

Values:

Partnership, Integrity, Commitment, Stewardship, Advocacy, Mutual Respect and Trust

Themes:

1. Agro-forestry development of indigenous medicinal, fodder and wild food plants 
2. Livelihoods and food sovereignty (focused on local livestock, crops, medicines and knowledge)
3. Obtain a thorough understanding of “Karamoja ethnovet product market and value chain”. 
4. Community participatory action research to add value to the local medicines
5. Conflict resolution and peace building including youth involvement
6. HIV/AIDS sensitization

Why farmers need trees

• To get food from Mangoes, pawpaws,and Oranges
• Medicines some of these trees are medicines for both people and animals  like the pawpaw seed that act as dewormers for human beings and Neem trees for processing medicines for animals
• Most trees  have been cut down for charcoal as a means  of livelihoods so we need to replace the ones that have been cut and be able to attract rainfall in this sem -arid Karamoja for farming
• To provide live fencing using kiaple trees for the community homes and this will reduce on the insecurity in the place and combat the problem of deforestation. 

For more informations how to help please contact the Program Manager


Mukisa Ayub

KACHEP

mukisaayub@gmail.com