Sh8b Dutch support for climate in Karamoja hailed

By Patrick Jaramogi

Farmers in the semi-arid region of north-eastern Uganda are learning the hard way due to climatic changing conditions.

The semi-arid region has been hit by climatic disasters such as long dry spells, drought and floods and flash floods, forcing hundreds to go hungry due to food insecurity and low income.

The hardest-hit districts suffering due to severe climatic conditions include Amuria, Katakwi, Napak, Amudat and Nakapiripiriti in Karamoja region.

Katakwi district deputy vice chairperson, Margaret Ikulot said stringent bylaws had to be initiated to tame the community on environmental abuse.

She said since the district suffered severe water logging in 2007 that left hundreds homeless and hungry, a repeat of the same was avoided through many channels.

“As a district we came up with mitigating factors such as tree planting and environmental conservation,’ she said.
 

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Ikulot (pictured above) said when the floods came in 2007, many homes and roads were washed away. “Roads became impassable, water was contaminated while gardens were submerged.”

She said tough penalties have been put to punish those who cut trees. “If you are found cutting a tree, you are fined shs300,000 on spot and ordered to plant five new trees, on top of doing other community work.”

She hailed Cordaid Netherlands that supported the local NGO Transcultural Psychosocial Organisation (TPO) to raise awareness on climatic mitigation and restoration. She noted that TPO had sensitized the community on building flood-resistant huts.

Cordaid gave the four districts of Amuria, Katakwi, Napak and Nakapiripiriti two million Euros (sh8b) for five years to help address challenges of climate and food insecurity in the region.

Sophie Irepu, Cordaid Netherlands-Uganda program officer, said the implementation was done by Soroti Catholic Dioceses Integrated Development Organisation (SOCADIDO) in Amuria, Caritas in Napak, TPO in Katakwi and ECO in Nakapiripiriti.

“We supported them to have community climatic information centers, create income-generating activities and train them on climatic adaptation, mitigation and ecosystems restoration management,” said Irepu.

Meanwhile, Charles Omwata, a Soroti-based meteorological expert, revealed to New Vision that issues of unpredictable weather can be a challenge to the farmers. “We are challenged with traditional knowledge coupled with science where we rely on the weather to determine how climate will be next season.”
 

Charles Omwana shows how the locals in Teso use traditional methods to detect weather patterns. (Credit: Patrick Jaramogi)

He said farmers’ usage of traditional knowledge to determine looming floods had helped them adapt to climatic changes, adding that the efforts by local NGOs such as SOCADIDO to sensitise the community on resilience, climatic adaptation and mitigation was taking centerstage.

SOCADIDO program manager, Stephen Abila, said the community now has knowledge on climatic adaptation, ecosystems management and restoration, which has helped them improve food security.

Abila said more than 15,000 farmers had gained knowledge on climatic adaptation.

The Nakapiripiriti assistant chief administrative officer (CAO), Martha Ajwang, said Ecological Christian Organisation (ECO) had helped many pastoralist communities adapt to the climatic changes in Nakapiripiriti and Nabilatuk that are always hard-hit by flash floods.

“The biggest challenges facing Nakapiripiriti are flash floods, wild bush fires, human and animal diseases, as well as landslides.”

She noted that last season alone, over 300 households were burnt due to wild fires.

“As a district we came with bylaws following support of funding from Cordaid Netherlands and ECO to set up bylaws to address rampant tree cutting,” Ajwang.
 

Nakapiripiriti Assistant CAO Ajwang Martha. (Credit: Patrick Jaramogi)

The Karimojongs, she added, were also taught how to generate energy and lighting using biomass from their animal dung as a means of conserving the environment and ecological restoration.

James Nyiro, the Napak district forestry officer, said there has been no much floods experienced this year due to lack of severe rains in the district. He however said the issues of wild fires had greatly affected the cattle keepers, leading to many deaths of their animals.

“Another issue we have here is that of lightning. We lost the Iriri GISO due to lightning. Then strong winds also affect us too much.”

He hailed Caritas Moroto for supporting the community with fast-maturing crops that has been instrumental in addressing food shortage in the district.