This publication presents eight background review papers that look at the impacts of oil palm production that now occupy more than a third of the main island in Kalangala district, and implications for planned expansion here and in neighbouring Buvuma district where oil palm plantations are scheduled for half of the area. The eight papers cover land use changes, environmental impacts, gender-based impacts, economic and social benefits compared to those from central forest reserves, mitigating negative impacts, implications on the management of remaining forests, and of land tenure laws.  

This paper examines land tenure, laws and regulations, acquisition and management, implications for sustainable management of forested landscapes amidst expanding commercial agriculture. The study draws lessons from the experience of large-scale oil palm development in Bugala island, Kalangala district, and uses these to highlight issues related to land use changes and land use planning that should be considered or applied in Buvuma island, where large scale oil palm development is foreseen. The predominant land tenure systems in Buvuma island are mailo, freehold and leasehold, with almost no customary tenure. However, historical injustices created by mailo land tenure need to be streamlined, along with lawful and bona fide occupancy needs for tenants to avoid unnecessary land conflicts amidst expanding commercial agriculture.  

This paper identifies mitigation measures to oil palm expansion, and suggests complementary livelihood options. Findings showed negative impacts of monoculture oil palm plantations from unclear land acquisition processes, increased pressure on remaining land; emigration of especially men, and reduced food security. There were also social issues related to increased immigrant labour, child labour and burdens on women. And whereas there has been infrastructure development, it is vital to establish social and environmental sustainability before oil palm plantations are expanded, with lessons drawn from Bugala island. The government is changing its perception of large scale oil palm plantation agriculture, and is considering other options for improving livelihoods, based on experiences in Kalangala district. This paper proposes complementary options, including agroforestry with high value crops like vanilla, cardamom, black pepper, as well as coffee, honey, vegetables and pineapple, livestock, and ecotourism. Training will be crucial for smallholder farmers to develop and maintain sustainable livelihoods. Natural forest areas and native tree species nurseries must be established to conserve beneficial species, and better land use planning and zoning of Buvuma island is needed to reduce the loss of natural forests.  

In Kalangala district, jobs have been created by oil palm and infrastructure has improved, but it is debatable whether the wellbeing of rural people has benefitted, and impacts on the national economy are uncertain. Most well-paying jobs are taken up by people from outside the district, and menial jobs are paid below the going rates. Outgrowers claim to be taking home less than they had expected and fishing is considered more lucrative. Regarding food security, private land owners may have willingly sold land for oil palm development, but some had tenants who were evicted without fair compensation or resettlement. It is also increasingly difficult to find grazing land for domestic livestock or farming land to cultivate food crops. Access to fuelwood and construction materials is also becoming a problem, with running battles with National Forestry Authority officials as unauthorized harvesting escalates in forest reserves. Forest cover is reduced. Fish breeding grounds are polluted by deposition of eroded soil on shore land. The sanctity of lakeshores and natural forests has been violated as government officials looked on, or even looked away. This suggests that there is a need for an independent monitoring programme of long term environmental and social impacts, and that governmental commitments to resolve and enforce its own environmental laws are tested.  

This paper presents a comparative assessment of total economic values from central forest reserves and those from oil palm production. It includes short, medium and long term land use considerations to assess how to improve the integration of forest management, commercial agriculture and other non-forestry industrial land uses. Findings show that the actual projected annual value from oil palm plantations in Kalangala is 186 billion Ugandan Shillings (UGX) (US$52 million) of which 73% was captured through revenues from nucleus estates and 27% through outgrowers. However, this total was only 11% of the total economic value held in the central forest reserves, estimated at UGX 1,673 billion (US$465 million) per annum. However, of this, only UGX 2.3 billion (US$640,000) is captured from sales of timber each year. The rest is made up of derived values such as pollination, wildlife habitat and other ecosystem services, and carbon stock values priced under REDD+ but which is not yet operational. And most of the standing stock of timber must be maintained, though communities would benefit more if the annual harvesting quota was increased. Tourism values are a realistic value, however, noting the growth of this sector and its integration through ongoing engagement. But in short to medium terms, economic benefits from oil palm in Kalangala district greatly outweigh those from the central forest reserve. The key recommendation is to establish optimal land use plans that factor in land use before and after integration of oil palm, including a considered business model that increases direct economic benefits from forest reserves.  

Kalangala forests are acknowledged as biodiversity rich, with 45 restricted range and 3 regional endemic species. Checklists generated in field assessments include 114 species of trees and shrubs, 89 birds, 6 mammals, 122 butterflies and 38 moths. In addition to conservation and other ecological values, forests provide socio-economic benefits for local livelihoods through environmental services, such as from tourism, fuelwood, rattan, round wood and timber. Deforestation has led to the loss of more than half of all forest cover in Kalangala with significant negative impacts on ecological and social landscape functions, and the risks are likely to be extended as oil palm plantation are scaled out to the Buvuma islands (Nsamba-Gayiiya and Kamusiime, 2015). Although considerable efforts to engage stakeholders have now been made, partners were not engaged enough initially, nor proactive in anticipating and responding to concerns. As such, forest loss is of particular concern, but reliable and current data is lacking on the conservation status of Kalangala ecosystems that would enable stakeholders to manage the often-conflicting needs of development and conservation promptly and proactively. This assessment therefore recommends that long term monitoring is essential for land use planning that includes small-scale forest enterprises and sustainable financing strategies to maximize ecological and social benefits from oil palm in landscapes such as those in Kalangala and Buvuma.