Reconciling Environmental Conservation with the Livelihood Demands of the Urban Poor: Analysis of the Development Opportunities a Case of Busiro County in Wakiso District

Abstract

The study was about reconciling environmental conservation with the livelihood demands of the urban poor. It tried to analyze the development opportunities that can be gained from this reconciliation. The study was guided by three objectives which included; assessing the linkage between environmental conservation and poverty among the urban population, to examine how urban poverty can be eradicated through integrated environmental conservation and sustainable livelihoods and to identify sustainable environmental conservation strategies that the urban population can apply. The study also reviewed literature according to themes that where derived from the objectives. The study also used a cross sectional study design in which both qualitative and quantitative approaches where used. The study also used questionnaires, interview guide and focus group discussion as methods of data collection. Findings revealed that in order to achieve sustainable livelihood among the urban poor, it is ideal that environmental conservation agencies take into account the livelihood demands of the people. Findings also revealed that by encouraging local communities to engage in environmentally friendly activities is one of the avenues through which the urban poor can generate income as well as conserve ecosystem and rare species instead of exclusion approaches. It was also revealed that concerned agencies ought to provide opportunities for urban poor through programs that focus on sustainable natural resource harvesting and development as well as the provision of initial startup assets such as reintegration support packages such as tree fruits to help them meet basic needs. The study recommended that all necessary efforts on angles that are, environmental conservation and livelihood demands should take into account those elements that exacerbate the livelihood sustainability of the urban poor. It also recommended that environmental initiatives should address such challenges by involving the local communities with the purpose of how to support their livelihood and at the same time, local communities supporting nature development. The programs should also seek to support biodiversity in the form of local tree and plant species distributed and can represent an alternative income source for poor farmers when crops fail.

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