Nakivale Vetiver Project-NVP

Executive Summary

The "Nakivale Vetiver Project" is an innovative initiative designed to support refugee communities in Nakivale by leveraging the environmental and agricultural benefits of the Vetiver System. This aims to address the challenges of land degradation, food insecurity, and environmental vulnerability. A vetiver mother garden will be established and after six months approximately, vetiver slips will be distributed in 20 villages to selected beneficiaries.

Key objectives

Establishment of a vetiver grass mother garden: A mother garden of vetiver grass will be established with an aim of it acting as a demonstration garden and a source of vetiver slips which will be distributed to the beneficiaries from the 20 identified villages in Nakivale refugee settlement.

Hill regeneration and redistribution: A vetiver mother garden will be established and after 6 months, vetiver slips will be distributed to the beneficiaries and also will be planted around the shores of Lake Nakivale to improve the ecosystem of Nakivale Refugee Settlement. This will create a sense of ownership among the refugee community of the project and it will be embraced.

Key activities

Establishment of a mother garden/ nursery bed of vetiver grass: A mother garden of vetiver grass will be established with the aim of acting as a demonstration garden and a source of vetiver slips which will be distributed to the beneficiaries from the 20 identified villages in Nakivale refugee settlement.

Hill regeneration: After establishing a mother garden, hill regeneration will be after 6 months where vetiver slips will be distributed among beneficiaries from 20 villages and also planted around the shores of Lake Nakivale.

Training and Sensitization: The beneficiaries will receive comprehensive and practical training about Vetiver grass, its importance to the environment and how it is planted.

Monitoring and Evaluation: Rigorous monitoring and evaluation mechanisms will be implemented to track the project's progress, assess impact, and identify areas for improvement.

Project outcomes                     

Land degradation and soil erosion: Vetiver grass has deep roots that are very strong to hold the soil and reduce the speed of waters that are washing away soil. When planted in rows vetiver grass forms a hedge, a living porous barrier that slows and spreads runoff water and traps sediment.

Climate change: Vetiver grass will bring about climate change through carbon sequestration. Carbon sequestration is the long-term storage of carbon in plants and soil and this occurs naturally. This will cause changes in land use and improve soil fertility.

Community resilience and self- sufficiency: The establishment of a mother garden and vetiver grass plantations creates resilience among community members. Vetiver grass will restore soil fertility and rejuvenate the degraded soils and this will bring back confidence with the refugee farmers thus increasing food production.

Economic Empowerment: Through improved agricultural practices and by products of vetiver, beneficiaries are expected to generate additional income, thereby enhancing their economic resilience and livelihoods.

In conclusion, the "Nakivale Vetiver Project" is an innovative initiative designed to support refugee communities in the Nakivale by leveraging the environmental and agricultural benefits of the Vetiver System. Aimed at addressing the challenges of land degradation, food insecurity, and environmental vulnerability, this multi-year project, set to commence in 2024 and conclude in 2027, focuses on the regeneration of sandy and rocky hills, the enhancement of soil fertility, and the protection of local ecosystems, including the Lake Nakivale.