Syliah Kagiiga is a geoscientist and co-founder of SBE Aquafarm, a social venture that transforms abandoned clay mining sites into productive aquaculture hubs. Growing up in Mutara Village, Western Uganda, she witnessed how clay mining degraded local wetland ecosystems and was inspired to apply her geoscience expertise to ecological restoration. Through SBE Aquafarm, Syliah has led initiatives to restore degraded land, trained community members in sustainable fish farming and created economic opportunities that strengthen food security and livelihoods. Her approach blends technical restoration methods with active community engagement by collaborating with local organizations to ensure long-term impact.
Currently, Syliah is focused on scaling this community-led restoration model across Uganda, demonstrating how environmental restoration and economic empowerment can advance hand-in-hand when led by communities.
