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A Rapid Assessment Report of Covid 19 Impact on Community Livelihoods of Tourism Host Communities’ in Murchison Falls Landscape – Uganda

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Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Uganda and subsequent nationwide lockdown the country’s economy particularly on the Tourism sector was affected, which placed the livelihoods of tourism host communities at risk and perhaps triggered a sudden rise of poaching cases in most landscapes of Uganda, including Murchison falls landscapes  

In response Environment Governance Institute (EGI), with support from IUCN Save Our Species and Co-Funded by the European Union (EU) commissioned a Rapid Assessment Survey in the five districts within the Murchison falls national park green belt. The main objective was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the livelihoods of tourism host communities’.

The findings of the Rapid Assessment generally indicate that; the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic put all activities of tourism host communities at a standstill. The closure of protected areas led to the loss of revenue from the sector which resulted in a lack of funds to support tourism host communities’ in pursuing alternative ventures.

The survey also reports a rise in food insecurity resulting from elephants evading people’s crops, this situation has remained a common community wildlife conflict. Given the fact, that no compensation in the forms of food relief and other products have been received as it used to be before the pandemic, communities’ have turned to poaching as a sign of revenge especially the youth in order to earn a living.

This publication was produced with financial support of the European Union through IUCN Save Our Species. Its contents are the sole responsibility of Environment Governance Institute and do not necessarily reflect the views of IUCN or the European Union.

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