With over 70 per cent of the population engaged in subsistence farming and dynamic population growth, Uganda is highly dependent on its forests for livelihoods and economic development. This, compounded by the effects of climate change, has contributed to an unprecedented decline in forest cover. The primary drivers of deforestation include expanding land for agriculture, smallholder farming, and unsustainable logging of round wood, fuelwood, and charcoal.

Uganda has been actively engaged in establishing national policies, strategies, and institutional frameworks to guide forest management and sustainable use. Since 2008, REDD+ initiatives have been a significant part of this process. Following an independent technical assessment under UNFCCC guidelines, Uganda's reported results of verified emission reductions of 8,070,694 tCO₂e from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2017 were confirmed as credible and transparent. With this verification, Uganda became eligible to access results-based payments under GCF’s REDD+ Pilot Programme.

The GCF proceeds from the REDD+ RBP will be reinvested in reinforcing an enabling environment for the implementation of Uganda’s REDD+ Strategy and Action Plan, and four priority strategic options of Uganda’s REDD+ Strategy: climate-smart agriculture, sustainable charcoal/fuel wood production, restoration, and policy strengthening. The plan promotes gender inclusion and community empowerment through targeted training, participatory planning, and inclusive benefit-sharing mechanisms.

The use of GCF proceeds will strengthen the capacity of government institutions involved in implementing REDD+ activities and reduce the pressure from key deforestation drivers. This will contribute to the long-term sustainability of REDD+ activities and generate non-carbon benefits. A benefit-sharing system will be introduced to encourage further activities to scale up results in seventeen prioritised districts.