"Chimpanzees are important in their own right, not because they bring money into the country, but because each one of them is an individual with his or her own place on the planet," Dr Jane Goodall says.

She adds: "Because of the growing number of humans and an increasingly lavish lifestyle with some people, we are making too great a demand on the natural resources; taking up too much habitat away from animals and then we get wildlife-human conflict".

The world-renowned ethologist echoed the concerns while launching the abridged National Chimpanzee Conservation Strategy for Uganda, during a dinner that was organised at the residence of the European Union ambassador at Kololo in Kampala. 

The dinner which was organised on Tuesday, attracted several delegates from across the world and officials from Ugandan authorities, led by tourism minister Col. (rtd) Tom Butime.

From left; Joshua Rukundo the executive director for Ngamba Chimpanzee sanctuary, Jane Goodall, Diana Museveni and James Byamukama the executive director for Jane Goodall institute in Uganda during a dinner at the EU ambassador residence in Kampala on Tuesday (Photo by Julius Luwemba)

Goodall further noted that animals invade people's crops because their own food source is vanishing. 

"So, the Chimpanzee conservation campaign we are signing tonight is very important," she said, adding that the same was done in Tanzania a couple of years ago.

The Chimpanzee Conservation Strategy for Uganda provides a framework to coordinate efforts among stakeholders including central and local government agencies, non-governmental organisations, private sector companies, researchers, and local communities to protect chimpanzee populations and their habitats, promote sustainable and conservation-compatible land use practices, and support communities' co-existing with chimpanzees.

Butime said Uganda, like other developing countries, is faced with development needs and as a result, the pathways followed, translate into high pressure on the country's natural resources including Chimpanzees and their habitats. 

He explained that to ensure their survival and the ecological integrity of their habitats as well as reverse the ongoing degradation and declining population trends exacerbated by climate change, population growth and land use change, the socioeconomic importance of Chimpanzees and their habitats had to be integrated into policies and decision-making frameworks.

The minister thus, noted that the chimpanzee conservation strategy provides a framework upon which such sustainable conservation of Chimpanzees in Uganda will be enhanced and effectively undertaken. He urged all stakeholders at different levels to work together to ensure the survival of the remaining chimpanzee population for their perpetual existence.

EU head of delegation Jan Sadek said the EU has a longstanding partnership with Uganda and the protection of wildlife plus the environment in general. 

He intimated that the EU partnered with Uganda to support high-level policy dialogue, looking at forests from a holistic perspective, based on the knowledge that protecting natural forests and wildlife corridors is crucial to tackling climate change, biodiversity loss and ensuring sustainable development.

"The forest partnership is underpinned with a Euros 40 million programme, which aims at strengthening environmental governance, addressing wildlife trafficking, increasing awareness on conservation and supporting communities in accessing alternative livelihoods," Sadek explained.

Goodall noted that it is going to cost a lot of money to carry the conservation campaign through. She, however, advocated for community involvement as one way of minimising such costs. 

"We have to help the local people who live near or around the forests to make a way of living without destroying their environment. We should raise them out of poverty, including scholarships for girls to have a higher chance of education, microfinance programmes so that people can ably start up their small environmentally sustainable businesses, family planning, and working with local communities in a way that is compatible with their culture and beliefs," she said.