Govt unveils initiatives to boost climate-resilient farming

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The government has launched an ambitious initiative aimed at equipping farmers with the tools and knowledge needed to embrace climate-resilient agricultural practices. The goal is to bolster farmers’ ability to withstand the effects of climate change while improving food security across Uganda.

The Uganda Climate Smart Agricultural Transformation Project is tailored to support smallholder farmers by enhancing productivity and resilience in the face of a changing climate.

Eng. Boniface Okanya, the project coordinator, explained that the initiative will include, among other interventions, matching grants to benefit farmer groups in 69 districts, including seven refugee settlement camps. This support is intended to promote mechanisation and sustainable, climate-smart agriculture.

“The project is designed to upgrade small-scale farmers to large-scale farmers, encompassing the entire value chain, including crops, livestock, fisheries, and beneficial insects like the black soldier fly,” said Okanya.

He added, “The project will also focus on removing obstacles to farmer mobility, improving post-harvest handling, and enhancing market access.”

Stephen Tibeijuka Byantwale, commissioner for crop protection at the agriculture ministry, noted that the initiative would also empower refugees in seven settlement camps to grow their own food, especially in light of declining donor support.

“Recently, donor funding has decreased. This project will allow refugees to cultivate their own food while also empowering them economically by growing crops, like vegetables, that they can sell to surrounding communities,” Tibeijuka said.

Okannya emphasised that the project will prioritise extension services and the training and retooling of extension workers to support farmers with agricultural knowledge, early warning systems, and pest management.

“The project will also support the development of agro-meteorological systems to provide farmers with weather updates and early warnings,” he added.

Pushina Kunda Ng'andwe, senior agricultural economist at the World Bank and task team leader for the project, said the $350m (sh1.2 trillion) initiative will target 13 value chains across a range of agricultural sub-sectors, including livestock, crops, fisheries, and beneficial insects.

“We expect that smallholder farmers will gain access to the much-needed inputs for their production,” said Kunda Ng'andwe.