Resource Mobilization

Strengthening agriculture adaptation to climate change in Uganda

Uganda is greatly affected by climate change. This manifests through drought, floods and landslides, which have increased over the past decades, especially drought. The country’s economy and the well-being of the population are intricately linked to the natural environment, and therefore highly vulnerable to climate change. Against this background, it was necessary to strengthen the resilience of rural populations, cattle keepers and agricultural production systems, and build the capacities of communities, commercial farmers and the Government of Uganda to cope with climate change. 

What did the project do

Farmers’ knowledge and understanding of the concept, vulnerability, risks and challenges associated with climate change in their environment was significantly enhanced as a result of the many training activities they took part in. The project also contributed to increased ownership and mainstreaming of climate change planning and coordination processes within key sector ministries and district local governments, as well as to the development and implementation of institutional, policy and legislative frameworks to sustain the initiated climate change processes. This included the formulation of by-laws for the use of water facilities, requiring all beneficiaries to maintain a verifiable disease control regime for their herds. Overall, the project contributed to making Uganda one of the leading countries in Africa undertaking climate change adaptation.

Impact

The incomes and livelihood conditions of vulnerable communities were significantly improved through the implementation of market-oriented agriculture and livestock development, a diversification of livelihoods system, and access to microcredit. As a result of the promotion of climate change adaptation practices for coffee production, the farmers’ coffee yield increased by over 50 percent. Many farmers participating in village savings and loan schemes made considerable savings, of which they reinvested about 41 percent to support climate change adaptation practices. Reservoirs producing over 220 000 cubic metres of water were established, which was enough to benefit over 40 000 heads of cattle during critical dry months of the year.

Activities

  • A national climate change resource centre constructed housing the climate change department in the ministry of water and environment which serves as an information sharing platform to support climate change education and as a hub for resource managers, other government institutions and the public to understand and respond to climate change challenges with reliable information and communication flow.
  • Climate change research and demonstration strengthened in four regional research centres in the National Agricultural Research Organization, through the provision of information technology equipment, and the establishment of greenhouses, rainwater harvesting and drip and solar-powered irrigation systems.
  • Three national-level agencies and nine national committees provided with capacity building and awareness raising on climate change; and awareness and sensitization campaigns conducted in 21 Districts, including for students, teachers and youth.
  • Cost-benefit analysis studies conducted for nine agricultural enterprises; and Monitoring and Evaluation of Disaster Risk Reduction Good Practice Technologies in Agriculture carried out for eight agricultural enterprises.
  • Applied multi-disciplinary research conducted for improving economic performance and livestock sustainability in the cattle corridor of Uganda.
  • Climate change integrated into Uganda National Development Plan II (2015/16 to 2019/20). And eight sectoral policies in Agriculture, Water and Environment reviewed for integration of climate change issues.
  • 15 valley tanks constructed, and five old ones rehabilitated.
  • 168 Farmer Field Schools established and functional, with a total of 4 172 farmer households.
  • Bioenergy plantations and improved charcoal production technologies established.
  • About 700 hectares of commercial fuelwood plantations set up.
  • 408 farmer groups comprising over 10 254 farmer households formed; and 380 demonstration plots established to directly promote field adaptation practices for coffee in three of the six target Nakasongola districts.
  • Eight shade trees and coffee nurseries with mother gardens established; and 6 875 Coffee Wilt Disease-resistant mother bushes planted in the mother gardens.
  • 1 220 000 elite coffee seedlings, and 320 256 clonal coffee seedlings produced and distributed to coffee farmers. 
Project symbol: GCP/UGA/041/EC
Project title: Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA): Agriculture Adaptation to Climate Change
Contact: FAO Office in Uganda / Selvaraju Ramasamy (Lead Technical Officer)
Email: FAO Office in Uganda [email protected] / [email protected]
Download PDF: http://www.fao.org/3/a-bt812e.pdf