The department aims to stop and reverse the degradation of Water Resources, Environment, and Natural Resources. Expected results relate to; increasing land area covered under forests and wetlands, increasing compliance of laws governing usage of wetlands and other natural resources.
Kagadi district is well endowed with rich biodiversity in terms of species richness and abundance, but as a result of increased pressure from high population and economic activities, there is rapid deterioration of the natural resources. The main challenges include environmental degradation through deforestation for timber cutting, charcoal burning, pollution of water bodies through molasses brewing, poor waste management through littering of waste such us polythene (buvera), wastes from oil exploration, medical waste consequently the quality and quantity of resources on which sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction depends is declining.
Habitat loss has resulted into the loss of biodiversity especially on the privately owned land. Land degradation through soil erosion and loss of soil fertility and productivity has negative impact on sustainable land management. Poor disposal of solid and liquid waste from industries and human settlement poses health risks.
Noise pollution is also becoming a challenge in urban areas as a result of old motor vehicle, generators, welding workshops and factories. Pollution air resulting from factories, old vehicles
Ensuring environmental sustainability is the 15th of the 17th UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs have been brought into line with Uganda‘s revised development policy framework – the National Development Plan (NDP), which is captured in the District Development Plan (DDP).
Environment degradation is a social economic problem of great concern in Kagadi District. It has affected the most productive areas of the district and of the populations. The women have been hit first and hardest, socially and economically given the social roles and responsibilities they have in the productive and consumptive areas in regard to use and abuse of the natural resources. The scenario calls for increased action by the respective sectors, in response to the need to mitigate the impact of the unsustainable of natural resources.
Environmental sustainability, gender and women empowerment as well as equity promotion are major pre-occupations in the district‘s bid to eradicate poverty. Consequently the Environment sub sector under the Natural Resources Management Department, the lead sector in sustainable development, has vigorously and will continue to vigorously pursue activities that address environmental sustainability,Measures and strengthen its capacity to enforce environmental laws, regulations and standards to guide the management of environmental resources. However, the level of compliance to these environmental laws, regulations and standards is still low, leading to misuse and degradation of the environment. This is exacerbated further by the inadequate budgetary resources allocated to the Natural Resources Management department which is about 2 percent of the district budget. There are a number of non-state key players in the sector who are augmenting the departmental resources and other activities in the sector to salvage the deteriorating environment situation.
Forests
The district has 3624.5 Ha Natural Forests and 1800 Ha Planted Forests. 2424.5 Ha are central government forest reserves. These include kanaga, Ruzaire, Kangombe, kyamurangi and kasato. Forest degradation is majorly due to agricultural activities and human settlement. The District for the last 5years promoted afforestation and reforestation (planted 458, 000 tree seedlings of eucalyptus, maesopsis and grevillea, conducted trainings in forestry and wetland management, carried out sensitization meetings on natural resource management and also a total number of 4ha of degraded wetland sections has been restored. The District however has prioritized restoration measures on forest through promotion of tree planting, demarcation of wetland and promotion of environmental education campaigns. This is in line with SDG 13, 14 and 15 which state that; climate action, life below water and life on earth respectively
Encroachment Status and key Rivers protected
| CFR | Area (ha) | Sub counties | Encroachment Status | Key Rivers protected (directly) |
| Kanaga | 650 | Kyanaisoke | Heavily encroached | Kanaga |
| Ruzaire | 1,160 | Kabamba and Mabaale | Heavily encroached | Ruzaire |
| Kagombe | 11,3r131 | Kagadi, Muhorro, Bwikara and Kyaterekera | Heavily encroached | Kagombe and Muzizi |
| Kagadi | 0 8 | Kagadi | Not encroached | |
| Rwengeye | 329 | Kiryanga, Paacwa | Not encroached | Ruzaire |
| Kasato | 2,691 | Kiryanga | Not encroached | Nguse |
| Kyamurangi | 417 | Kiryanga | Not encroached | Nguse |
| Total | 8,501 |