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FAO in Uganda has appealed to the Government of Uganda and all relevant stakeholders to work together to address the drivers of migration in order to fast-track achievement of food security and zero hunger in Uganda.

The call was made by the FAO Country Representative in Uganda- Mr. Alhaji Jallow, in a press statement for World Food Day celebrations held on 16 October 2017 in Rubanda District, South Western Uganda.

“Conflict, rural poverty, and climate change demand increased attention as they result in migration as a last resort”, said Mr Jallow. “FAO is supporting the Government of Uganda to promote inclusive rural development to curb conflict and boost sustainability, create decent employment opportunities especially for the youth, advance policy options for youth to access credit, and to develop social protection programmes that provide cash or in-kind transfers, as well as strengthening early-warning systems to manage weather vagaries”, he added.

In a speech read for him by the Second Deputy Prime Minister of Uganda- Honorable Ali Kirunda Kivejinja, the President of the Republic of Uganda, His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, noted that agriculture and rural development are key to addressing root causes of migration, particularly movement of youth from rural- urban areas.

Additionally, drivers and impacts of migration are intimately linked to Government’s goals of fighting hunger, reducing rural poverty, and promoting sustainable use of natural resources. Consequently, the Government of Uganda, “commits to playing a leading role in reducing rural migration by creating better conditions for the people and enhancing resilience in rural areas and engaging young people in gainful employment through participation in agricultural value chain activities, aimed at increasing incomes and lessening movement” said President Museveni.

The President revealed that the Government of Uganda plans to enable all households, especially those led by small holder farmers, to earn at least 20million Uganda shillings annually from a combination of agricultural and other economic enterprises. This, the President Museveni believes will, help to eliminate hunger, poverty, and stabilize food security in Uganda, as it will reduce income disparities that may force people to leave their homes in search of better opportunities.

Rubanda District, created less than two years ago, was chosen as the location for the World Food Day celebrations, to create national and global awareness to the challenges such as climate change, poverty, and population growth which force people to leave their homes. In September 2017, more than 10 people died and others are still nursing injuries after a landslide occurred in the hilly Rubanda district. This was after torrential rain forced rocks down the slopes, hitting locals at the foot of the hills and sweeping away houses.

Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Honorable Vincent Sempijja therefore made a stern warning to the populace and district officials to support the residents to carry out soil and water conservation practices such as mulching, replacing ridges and bands, and growing trees.

During the celebrations, FAO showcased a range of information products on FAO projects implemented in Uganda, the novel Semi-Manual Micro Irrigation System, and selected project beneficiaries displayed their products.

United Nations delivering as one to End Hunger

The World Food Day celebrations in Uganda were also attended by the FAO Representative for Eastern Africa- Dr. Patrick Kormawa, the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Country Representative in Uganda, Ms. Rosa Malango, and the Chief of Mission of International Organization for Migration- Mr. Ali Abdi.

Ms. Malango noted that the United Nations will continue supporting the Government of Uganda, the private sector, civil society, and local communities to build capacity to address migration through rural development and to mobilize investment in sustainable agriculture and rural livelihoods. “Together, we can help people to stay on their land and foster a more equitable development that protects the environment and Uganda’s other natural resources” she said.

Building Energy S.p.A, a multinational company operating as a Globally Integrated IPP (Integrated Power Producer) in the Renewable Energy Industry, has announced the inauguration of the Tororo Solar Plant  located at around 10 km from the border with Kenya. With a capacity of 10 MWp (16 GWh per year), the Tororo Solar Plant is among the largest in Eastern Africa.

Building Energy was also responsible for the development of the project, arranging the financing, as well as the construction and commissioning of the plant. The beginning of operations has been celebrated on the occasion of the ribbon cutting ceremony in Tororo, in the presence of Matteo Brambilla, MD Africa and Middle East at Building Energy, Attilio Pacifici, EU Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation to Uganda.

Consisting of 32,240 photovoltaic panels distributed over a 14 hectare site, the facility is designed to generate around 16 GWh of energy annually, catering to the energy needs of more than 35,838 people. In addition to covering the community’s energy needs, the Tororo Solar Plant will foster clean industrial development in the town of Tororo and at the same time save atmospheric emissions of more than 7,200 tonnes of CO2 per year, corresponding to the consumption of around 2,800 petrol-powered cars. Community Development initiatives are also underway.

Likewise the Soroti Solar Plant, which began operation last December, the Tororo Solar Plant was developed under the Global Energy Transfer Feed in Tariff (“GET FiT”), a dedicated support scheme for renewable energy projects managed by Germany’s KfW Development Bank in partnership with Uganda’s Electricity Regulatory Agency (ERA) and funded by the EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund, the governments of Norway, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The GET FiT programme helps renewable energy sources become more affordable and therefore more accessible in Eastern Africa.

The EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund has provided funds through the GET FiT Solar Facility equivalent to 7,08 million euros in the form of a top-up payment per kWh of delivered electricity over 20 years. This financing fills the gap between the generation costs and the feed-in tariff set by Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).

The overall $19.6 million construction investment at Tororo was partially funded by FMO, the Dutch development bank which, as Mandated Lead Arranger, coordinated the provision of a $14.7 million term loan facility. Fifty percent of the funding was syndicated to the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF), while the overall equity contribution of the shareholders was $4.9 million. EAIF is a member of the Private Infrastructure Development Group, which is funded by the UK, Switzerland, Australia, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, Germany and the World Bank Group.

The Tororo Solar Plant was built close to the Ugandan utility’s loading centres in order to reduce technical electricity loss that can occur with long-distance transmission. The Tororo Solar Plant is connected to one of Uganda’s largest electricity substations. During construction approximately 350 jobs were created on the site, of whom 300 were Ugandan citizens. Permanent jobs have also been created to assist with the operation and maintainance of the facility. As well as its positive impact on the environment and sustainable economic growth, Building Energy is bringing additional benefits to the local community by helping with the building of a school near the solar plant, and providing textbooks to the schoolchildren.

With the Tororo Solar Plant going into operation, Building Energy’s total installed capacity in Africa has risen to 91 MWp. From its Cape Town office, the Company manages and coordinates over 40 projects that are operational and under development in Africa and the Middle East across the technologies of solar, wind and small-scale hydroelectric energy.

“Today we witness an important milestone for Uganda here in Tororo. We see concretely Uganda’s success in switching to clean energy generation, while working together with a well incentivised private sector and its development partners,” says Attilio Pacifici, EU Ambassador designate and Head of the EU Delegation to Uganda.  “Despite rapidly rising cost-competitiveness of renewable energy technologies, the financing of renewable energy projects is still difficult in many parts of the world. GET-FiT prefigures the approach the EU with its Member States want to promote with the ambitious new External Investment Plan (EIP). One of the key objectives of this plan is to encourage private sector participation in higher risk investments and we are happy to demonstrate today that Uganda is well positioned to be successful and a good model for replication.”

“We are glad that the first photovoltaic park we have built in Uganda has gone into operation, and to celebrate with the whole Tororo community through this Inauguration ceremony.” says Matteo Brambilla, Managing Director Africa and Middle East at Building Energy. “We are also proud to be making our contribution to more sustainable economic growth in the country through the provision of reliable, good-value electricity. At 18.2%, Uganda’s average electrification level corresponds to one of the world’s lowest per capita electricity consumption rates. The Tororo photovoltaic park makes it possible not just to provide electricity to the local community, but also act as a driver of the city’s industrial development.”

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Donors of the UN Joint Programme on Gender Based Violence have expressed contentment in the impact the programme has made in the last eight years, with renewed commitment to continue strengthening efforts to combat violence against women and initiate new ways of involving men as agents of change.

“The Norwegian Embassy in Kampala is proud to have supported the Joint Programme and is proud to see the fruits of eight years of work. The results are many and the impact is great. Our appreciation goes to all ministries, agencies, organizations and persons involved,” said Norwegian Ambassador to Uganda, Ms. Susan Eckey. The ambassador was speaking at a meeting on the closure of the UN Joint Programme on Gender Based Violence (GBV) at Golf Course Hotel in Kampala on September 29. The meeting attended by officials from the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Decelopment and a section of other implementing partners, was to discuss key achievements of the programmes’ bridging phase (2014-2017) and reflect on sustainability of gains made during the implementation of the programme.

In her remarks, the ambassador said she was pleased to know that although the programme, which started in 2008 has come to an end, the impact on the ground is visible, with changed laws, new mechanisms and structures established to prevent and end gender based violence.  “This programme has changed the lives of many women, girls and families by creating new and sounder dynamics free of GBV, allowing them to become equal partners in their families and communities,” she said.

In his remarks, UNFPA Representative Mr. Alain Sibenaler acknowledged that successes from the joint programme would not have been possible without the generous financial support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy. “Your Government’s contribution to ensure gender equality in Uganda has been unprecedented and has made a huge difference,” Mr. Sibenaler said. The Representative also applauded the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development and the different UN Agencies (FAO, UNICEF and UN Women) who have been directly involved in the implementation of the Joint Programme to make a difference in the lives of women and girls. “Today, more girls are going to school, more women have joined the labour force, and more women have access to sexual and reproductive health services, including family planning. “These as are some of the tangible results we can show out of this programme. The future we want is a world where every woman and girl can live free from discrimination and violence, and enjoy her full human rights and human dignity,” Mr. Sibenaler added.

“As a country looks towards meeting its commitment on the Sustainable Development Goals of achieving gender equality, elimination of GBV is a priority,” said Minister of State (Gender and Culture) Hon. Peace Mutunzo who was also the guest of honor at the occasion.

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During an evening game drive in Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park, you might be lucky enough to spot a lioness both hunt and kill a buffalo. It is an exciting couple of minutes, never knowing who is going to win—the hungry lioness or the buffalo with the horns. In the northern section of the park, 400km south-west of Kampala, buffalos were safe from lion until three lions crossed from the Ishasha wilderness camp eight years ago, and began to dominate hunting grounds around the Kasenyi crater lake.

Uganda is one of a handful of African countries with the “Big Five”—lion, leopard, elephant, black rhinoceros, and the African buffalo. These species are mercifully regarded as among the most difficult of Africa’s wild animals to track or find on foot.

In 2012, Uganda’s Tourism Ministry conducted a World Bank-supported survey of the 1.3 million foreigners who visited Uganda that year. It found that most “visitors” came from other African countries, usually for business, spending only a few days in the country. Most “tourists,” on the other hand, came from Europe (46 percent) and North America (22 percent). They tended to stay longer, for about 14 days, and spent more money—about US$176 per day.

Tourism is now the leading export earner for Uganda, bringing in about US$1.4 billion annually, which is 26 percent of its total foreign exchange earnings and 9.9 percent of its GDP. The sector employs about 520,000 people directly, and one million more indirectly, 70 percent of them women and youth.

Still word-of-mouth

But, until recently, little was being done in the way of promotion for Uganda’s tourist attractions, despite the country rating as one the world’s top ten destinations by industry giants such as Lonely Planet and National Geographic Traveler. The 4 out of every 10 visitors to the Queen Elizabeth park who are non-resident foreigners hear about Uganda and its attractions by word-of-mouth. “They visit because someone they know lived in Uganda and recommended it,” Charles Sempebwa, a tour operator says.

To tap into more of the leisure tourism traffic that flows into Africa, Uganda is moving away from relying solely on word-of-mouth recommendations by spending US$1.5 million with three international, public relations firms. The firms are promoting Uganda as a tourist destination in the United Kingdom and Ireland, North America, and German-speaking Europe.

The campaign, led by the Uganda Tourism Board, is being carried out with financial backing from the World Bank-supported Competitiveness and Enterprise Development Project, which aims to improve the visibility of Uganda’s unique tourism products to attract up to 4 million tourists a year. Some of its support is going toward revamping curricula and training facilities at the Uganda Hotel and Tourism Institute to improve training for the pool of local staff for the hospitality, leisure, and tourism industries.

Marketing a tourist destination

There is also more information about Uganda being provided through media coverage (worth £1.2 million in the British market, and Euro 2 million in other European markets), and through over 1,300 multi-media placements with an audience reach of 990,925,768 in North America.

In June 2016, NatGeo broadcast live content of Uganda’s mountain gorillas. It was watched in more than 10.4 million homes in Britain. This was Uganda’s first tourism campaign in Britain for decades, ironically perhaps, as Britain first sent explorers to Uganda in the mid-nineteenth century. Through it, viewers learned about Uganda’s rare mountain gorillas, now found only in densely forested areas straddling the borders of southwestern Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda.

Besides gorillas, lion, and buffalo, Uganda has other attractions, too, as a country with one of the world’s highest concentration of different species of birds, as a source of the River Nile, and as a country with Rift Valley lakes and the spectacular Mountains of the Moon (or Ruwenzoris)—a country rich in flora with idyllic islands, safe, vibrant urban centers, and legendary nightlife.

Bookings with tour operators are interpreted as a sign the campaign may be bearing fruit. One operator in Uganda says she has seen bookings up for 2017/18. “We have had more inquiries from German-speaking markets, and more bookings from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Australia,” says the Operations Manager of Matoke Tours, Anne Grodzki.

More tourists should mean more revenue and jobs in Uganda, and more tourists with stories to share.

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The 2017 SEED East Africa symposium took place in Kampala, Uganda’s capital with the participation of the Head of Cooperation of the European Union (EU) Delegation to Uganda, Mr Cedric Merel, along with representatives from both Uganda and Kenya, including Uganda’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.

SEED is a global partnership for action on sustainable development and the green economy established in 2002 at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg.  The symposium was part of a multi-country project (covering Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius and South Africa, in addition to Uganda) called “Promoting Eco-Entrepreneurship in Africa” and that is supported with a 1.5 M EUR grant (around 6.5 bn UGX) from the EU’s Switch Africa Green (SAG) programme.

The programme aims at fostering transition toward green growth through interventions on three levels: (i) provision of green services/advice to MSMEs; (ii) rising public awareness to promote sustainable consumption; (iii) creating a policy/legal/fiscal environment enabling green growth.

A highlight of the event was the SAG-SEED Awards Ceremony, which saw 6 innovative eco-inclusive enterprises from Uganda and Kenya honoured for their outstanding contributions to meeting local sustainability development challenges, thus helping bring about a cleaner and more sustainable future. The Ugandan SAG–SEED awardees are:

• Brent Technologies, which transforms waste motor oil into fresh oil;
• Gorilla Conservation Coffee, a social enterprise that pays a premium to coffee farmers living next door to the gorillas around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and supports them through training in sustainable coffee farming
• Masupa Enterprises, which turns organic waste into briquettes and distributes energy saving sto

Speaking at the awarding ceremony, Mr Merel stated that the European Union financial support to the project illustrates “the EU’s commitment to fostering Inclusive Green Economy, e.g an economy that can secure growth and development, while at the same time improving human well-being, providing decent jobs, reducing inequalities, tackling poverty and preserving the natural capital upon which we all depend.”

He also announced the earmarking of no less than 100 M EUR (400 Bn UGX) to supporting Inclusive Green Economy in Uganda in the coming years.

Read more about Switch Africa Green at http://switchafricagreen.org and SEED at: www.seed.uno.

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Human rights and land rights are challenging issues in Uganda. The young Ugandan woman Zulia Nyakahara advocates for those who are disadvantaged.

Uganda is now the largest refugee hosting country in Africa — with around 1.3 million refugees. 170,000 of these refugees receive assistance from World Food Programme in the form of cash transfers, which are making a real difference to their lives.

Peter Kuol, a 49-year-old South Sudanese refugee, has felt at home in Adjumani, Northern Uganda, since he arrived at the end of 2013. “Life is good here,” said Peter. “There are no sounds of guns. There is no one knocking at your door.” Peter has been confined to a wheelchair following a severe illness in his mid-20s, and the journey from South Sudan to the Nimule border point in Uganda was challenging. After fierce fighting broke out in Peter’s village, his teenage son had to push him in the wheelchair for around 18 kilometres until a bus picked him up. Peter’s son and nephew then ran behind the bus for almost the entire week-long, 400 kilometre journey to Uganda. In the early days when Peter relied on WFP food, he used to struggle to carry the sacks of grain back home on distribution days. Now with the cash he receives, he can go to his local market and buy food in amounts he can carry. “Since switching to WFP cash, I feel much stronger and healthier. I’ve been getting more nutrients into my diet, and as I’m vulnerable — this is important. I can feel the benefits.”

Akech Mayom, aged 45, fled South Sudan in January 2014, after her village in Jonglei State was set on fire. “We were surrounded by bodies, I saw my husband and his brother lying there,” recalled Akech. “It was so traumatic. We had to run and leave them there.” Akech arrived in Uganda, with seven children to care for — her own three sons, three nieces and nephew. Akech received food from WFP for over two years, and missed the food she used to grow and eat in South Sudan. In 2016 Akech started receiving her assistance in the form of a cash transfer and was delighted. “We were rich with food in South Sudan before the fighting started. With the cash I get from WFP I can have a similar diet to what I had there. I buy millet, greens, beans and milk,” she said. “I also can buy fresh vegetables for my children. I am proud I can make this choice for them,” She added.

The WFP cash transfers boost the local economy by around US$ 900,000 every month. The benefits of these cash transfers reverberate throughout the host community. Every dollar of WFP food assistance multiplies by an additional dollar in and around refugee settlements. For cash assistance it is even higher — it multiplies by an additional $1.50.

Research conducted by the University of California, Davis and WFP in 2016 found that an average refugee household like Peter and Akech’s, receiving cash food assistance at Adjumani Settlement increases annual real income in the local economy by 3.7 million Ugandan Shillings (US$1,072). The income multipliers come about when the refugees buy goods from the markets in and around the settlements using cash given to them by WFP.

“When peace comes in South Sudan, we will go back,” explained Akech. “We will remember what WFP did for us, this cash is vital for us to survive.”

WFP’s cash transfers for refugees in Uganda were made possible in 2016–17 thanks to valuable contributions from CERF, DFID, the European Commission’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO), Irish Aid and USAID.

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As part of the implementation of National Partnership Policy, 2013, Government of Uganda and the Development Partners adopted a National Partnership Dialogue Framework. Under this Framework, two annual events are held; the National Partnership Forum (NPF) chaired by the Prime Minister and the Technical National Partnership Forum chaired by the Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet.

This year’s Technical National Partnership Forum was held on the 29^th August, 2017 at Protea Hotel chaired by the Head of Public Service and attended by Permanent secretaries, Heads of Corporations and Agencies, Senior Government officials and other representatives of Development partners. The forum focused on the building consensus on how to strengthen Sector Working Groups (SWGs) and how government can improve Public Infrastructure Management (PIM)

Key issues raised were the limited capacity to identify, prepare and execute projects, poor appraisal and prioritization of projects, bureaucracy in the procurement process which delays implementation and execution of projects, poor operation and maintenance of existing assets, and the weak SWG performance.

It was agreed that a strategy to build capacity will be developed in Sectors to prepare, negotiate funding and execute projects, that local contractors should be enabled to compete for project execution, ensuring that the projects that enter the Public Infrastructure Plan (PIP) are in line with the development objectives, reviewed and approval made by Cabinet, making procurement planning an integral part of planning and budgeting.

Concerned parties will make an effort to review the land law to make land acquisition for investments easy, Development Partners and/or financiers should endeavor to grant no objection decisions and release of funds in a timely manner and that there was need to strike a balance between new projects and maintenance of existing assets, formulation of clear Terms of References for SWGs, aligning Development Partner working groups with Government SWGs for joint planning, and reconfigure SWGs in line with the Program Based System (PBS) and the NDP.

The chairperson of Local Development Partners’ Group expressed gratitude to the government for the effort put in strengthening the coordination mechanism for SWGs and public infrastructure management to foster efficiency and effectiveness in the utilization of government resources.

The meeting was concluded with remarks from the Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet who emphasized the need for strengthening SWGs, capacity building especially in the area of project selection and appraisal and the need for collective efforts from all concerned parties if the objectives of PIM are to be achieved. He expressed his deep appreciation to the Development partners for their continued support towards the development of Uganda.

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The Government of Japan has contributed US$10 million (approximately 35.9 billion Uganda shillings) to the UN Refugee Agency – UNHCR (US$4 million), UNICEF (US$3 million), and UN World Food Programme –  WFP (US$3 million) to support the emergency response to South Sudanese refugees and host communities in Northern Uganda.

Since violence broke out in South Sudan in December 2013, there has been widespread displacement of the South Sudanese population resulting in a mass influx into Uganda and other neighboring countries. To date, Uganda is hosting close to one million refugees from South Sudan, with eighty two per cent (82%) being women and children.

The funding to UNHCR will help to strengthen the bonds between refugees and Ugandans, who live together side-by-side on land provided by local host communities. The contribution will also help to provide newly arrived refugees with core relief items including blankets, mattresses, kitchen sets and other key items.

A sports stadium and market place in the districts of Adjumani and Moyo respectively, will be upgraded to benefit around 580,000 refugees and people in host communities, allowing them greater economic opportunities and improving shared community infrastructure.

“We are tremendously grateful to the people of Japan for their ongoing support to UNHCR and the refugee response,” said UNHCR Representative to Uganda, Bornwell Kantande.

“This contribution will go a long way towards assisting some of the most vulnerable people in society with a life of dignity, while providing richly-deserved support to host communities in northern Uganda, who continue to generously welcome refugees with open arms.”

The funding channeled through UNICEF will provide access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene and immunization services reaching 160,000 people in the districts of Yumbe, Arua and Moyo.

Ms. Aida Girma, UNICEF Representative in Uganda, thanked the Government of Japan for the timely support.

With this contribution, which is the second received from the Government of Japan this year, WFP has purchased nearly 4,600 metric tons of food to reach one million refugees.

“WFP relies entirely on the voluntary support of governments and other donors to provide basic food assistance for refugees in Uganda every day,” said WFP Country Director El Khidir Daloum. “Every dollar we receive from donors contributes to saving the lives of refugees, the large majority of whom are women and children. We thank Japan for its commitment to addressing hunger.”

The humanitarian support provided by the three humanitarian agencies is hinged on the long term Refugees and Host Community Empowerment Framework (ReHoPE) strategy and in line with the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF). In the Ugandan context, the CRRF is being applied through the strengthening of five pillars: (1) admission and rights, (2) emergency and ongoing needs, (3) resilience and self-reliance, (4) expand solutions, and (5) voluntary repatriation.

As of last week, over one million refugees from South Sudan have now sought refuge in Uganda.

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The Government of Uganda and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have signed a financing agreement for the Green Climate Fund (GCF) project to restore degraded wetlands, improve ecosystems, strengthen climate information and early warning systems.

Hon. Matia Kasaija, the Finance Minister signed on behalf of the Government and Ms. Rosa Malango, the UNDP Resident Representative and UN Resident Coordinator for Uganda signed on behalf of UNDP. It was witnessed by Hon. Sam Cheptoris, the Minister of Water and Environment during a ceremony held at Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development offices in Kampala.

The project is the UN’s response to the President of Uganda’s Presidential Initiative on Wetlands and a key spoke in the Government of Uganda’s integrated approach to building climate resilience and contributing to targets outlined in the Paris Agreements, 2030 Agenda, Sendai Framework and other Global Accords.

“Addressing the effects of climate change and mitigating them remains key for the Government of Uganda. This project will therefore be key for improved management of wetlands and other environmental resources enabling us to achieve the goals of our second National Development Plan, Vision 2040 as well as the Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” Hon. Kasaija said during the signing ceremony.

He also thanked UNDP for working with the Government to acquire the GCF funding which will be an addition to the national budget and other government efforts to fight the effects of climate change.

The eight-year “Building Resilient Communities, Wetland Ecosystems and Associated Catchments in Uganda” project is supported with a US$24 million grant from the Green Climate Fund, US$2 million from UNDP and US$18.12  million in co-financing from the Government of Uganda.

“The project will augment our efforts to safeguard the environment and its natural resources”, Hon Sam Cheptoris Minister of Water and Environment said. He underscored the need to restore degraded ecosystems specifically wetlands and forests in order to contribute towards the realization of Vision 2040 and the middle income status. He pledged his Ministry’s continued commitment to ensure that the project is successfully implemented and the set targets are fully realised.

Ms. Malango, the UNDP Representative emphasized that the project’s main goal is to enable communities living near wetlands have alternative livelihoods that encourage wise use of this resource enabling them to be part of efforts to restore the wetlands.

“Restoration of wetlands is just the beginning, these conservation efforts will also be replicated and extended to protect forests and wildlife areas among others, so that Uganda is able to wholesomely address the issues of environmental degradation,” Ms. Malango stated.

This project builds on UNDP’s other efforts in climate change mitigation, including a Wetlands Atlas developed by UNDP, UNEP and the Government of Uganda which was  launched during the World Wetlands Day celebrations in February this year. In addition, UNDP held a dialogue to promote green industrialisation and also launched an emergency response strategy for refugees in West Nile, one of whose key components is environment protection.

About the project

The Green Climate Fund Project will restore an estimated area of at least 760 square kilometres of degraded wetlands and associated catchments while improving the lives of at least 500,000 people living in 20 districts in Eastern and South Western regions of Uganda which have experienced the highest levels of wetland degradation and climate change impacts.

To achieve this, the project will employ a three pronged approach including; restoration of wetlands and associated forests, improved agricultural practices and alternative livelihood options in the wetland catchment areas and strengthening access to climate and early warning information to farmers.

It is anticipated that the restored wetlands will also enhance communities’ climate change adaptation and resilience, by reducing risk to flooding and drought associated with changing climatic conditions.

About 4million people are estimated to be living adjacent to wetland areas in Uganda and rely on these areas to feed their families and make a living. Wetlands are also an important ecosystem that captures carbon and their conservation will contribute to lowered greenhouse gas emissions.

The project will also diversify economic activities for the vulnerable communities living in the South western and Eastern regions of Uganda through the introduction of improved fishing and agricultural practices among other activities.

These efforts will be key for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals particularly Goal 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities, Goal 13 on Climate Action, Goal 14 on Life below water as well as Goal 15 – life on land.

The project will be implemented by the Ministries of Water and Environment, Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries together with the Uganda National Meteorology Authority. It will also engage various civil society and the private sector groups.