Uganda is set to recognize and award conservation champions including members of the community for their sustainable tourism efforts to protect the country's biodiversity.
Speaking ahead of World Wildlife Day set to be held on March, 3 at Entebbe Municipality in Wakiso district, the state minister for tourism, Martin Mugarra unveiled a series of activities that will precede the celebrations.
He said the ministry has organised wildlife conservation competitions for schools which will be focusing on conservations related quiz, poem, essay writing and art to be held on February 23, 25 and 27 for primary, secondary and tertiary institutions competitions.
Butime said there will be Cranes festival in Masaka to raise awareness and highlight the conservation issues affecting the Cranes set for February 25.
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"We shall have the conservation conference highlighting the role of medicinal and aromatic plants in conserving health, heritage and livelihoods, scheduled for February,26, 2026, in Kampala. There will also be the national wildlife marathon in Kampala scheduled for March, 1, 2026 intended to raise awareness among the general public on issues of wildlife conservation," Mugarra said,
The minister said proceeds from the marathon will contribute to securing education for the children of the rangers who have died in line of duty.
He said the national wildlife conservation awards will be held on March 3, the day of the main celebration with President Museveni as the chief guest.
Butime said the awards will recognize eminent persons who have contributed towards sustainable wildlife conservation in Uganda.
The celebrations
According to the minister, this year's World Wildlife Day celebrations will be held under the theme, "Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: Conserving Health, Heritage and Livelihoods."
He said the theme calls for recognition of the fundamental interconnections between biodiversity conservation, human well-being, and sustainable development.
The minister underscored the rationale for the need for increased conservation efforts in the country, especially for medicinal and aromatic plants.
He said these represent far more than botanical specimens and need to be protected and preserved for future generations through conservation.
" They are the foundation of traditional healthcare systems, a source of ancestral knowledge and traditional medicine, and economic lifeline for millions of rural communities worldwide. As we face unprecedented challenges from climate change, habitat loss, and unsustainable exploitation, the conservation of these plants has never been more urgent or more critical to our collective future," Mugarra said.
He noted that the use of traditional medicine in Uganda contributes directly to the socio-economic status and wellbeing of several communities, with herbalists and traditional healers generating income from medicinal plants.
"It is also important to note that, medicinal and aromatic plants are inseparable from cultural heritage. Indigenous medicinal and aromatic plants provide critical income for millions, particularly in rural areas, through harvesting, trade, processing, and cultivation. Women play key roles across these value chains."
The minister, however, called for regulation of harvesting and mitigate against overexploitation and potential depletion of these important species.
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"Shifting toward sustainable cultivation, fair market access, and benefit-sharing can strengthen rural livelihoods while conserving plant resources for the future."
Despite the progress, Mugarra said there are still some threats that jeopardise the survival and benefits provided by medicinal and aromatic plants.
He mentioned overexploitation and unsustainable harvesting, habitat loss and land use change, climate change, loss of traditional knowledge, weak regulation and poor monitoring.
Mugarra however said the World Wildlife Day reaffirms commitment to conserve medicinal and aromatic plants, honoring traditional knowledge, and supporting community livelihoods.
"Their conservation is not a burden but an opportunity to protect biodiversity, strengthen healthcare, preserve culture, and build resilient, equitable societies."
