The project addresses probems of land degradation and biodiversity loss especially indigenious plants and contributesto climate change mitigation through promotion of integrated sustainable land and natural resource management practices and efficient energy saving technologies. It is a community environment conservation project managed by Soroti Environment Concern, a local CBO in the eastern part of Uganda. the area is dry and has various indigenious plant and wetland species plus fragile ecosystems. It is predominantly a peasant agricultural community practising subsistence farming.Increasing rural poverty, poor agronomic practices, high demand for fuel wood, overgrazing, rice growing, soil erosion, reduced agricultural production, biodiversity loss amongst local community threaten the stability of fragile ecosystems. The GEF focal areas addressed are land degradaton, biodiversity conservation and climatic change mitigation through participatory community conservation initiatives. Activities include conservation education and sustainable community development initiatives and diversification of income sources such as agroforestry, beekeeeping, livestock rearing, energy saving technologies, tree nurseries and demonstration plots. The project emphasizes active community participation.