The European Union-EU has committed 8 million Euros (34 billion Shillings) towards mitigating the effects of Climate Change in districts in the central cattle corridor, that experience semi-arid climatic conditions.
Under the project, the EU will scale up agricultural adaptation activities in the districts of Nakasongola, Luweero, Nakaseke, Mubende, Kiboga, Sembabule, Kalungu, Gomba, and Lyantonde for the next five years. It will be implemented through a partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization-FAO, the Ministries of Agriculture, as well as the Ministry of Water and Environment.
Attilio Pacifici, the European Union Ambassador to Uganda says that the grant is part of their broader financial contribution towards the Global Climate Change Alliance-GCCA Project, in which they support developing countries to build communities that are resilient to climate change effects.
Ambassador Pacifici explained that they want to ensure that the selected communities are supported with improved farming technologies and capacities that will enable them to effectively respond to adverse effects of climate change. He was commissioning the project activities at Kalungu district headquarters on Wednesday.
Antonio Querido, the Food and Agricultural Organization-FAO country Representative to Uganda says the project is focused on ensuring that local communities in the selected areas are able to withstand climatic change effects and sustain agricultural productivity throughout the year.
He explains that the project implementation activities will include supporting communities with new farming technologies that include digging of valley dams and micro-irrigation equipment, distribution of drought-resistant seeds and crops, improved animal breeds and food storage facilities, among others, that help in ensuring food security and promoting commercial farming practices in targeted populations.
Agriculture Minister Vincent Ssempijja said that the project has come at an opportune time when the government is considering implementing its Improved Agricultural Development Masterplan that aims at enhancing farmers’ productivity across the country.
According to him, the project has for the last three years been piloted in Eastern Uganda where it showed good results that also include an intervention to restore the destroyed environment.
Kalungu District Chairman Richard Kyabaggu is optimistic that the project will help them address severe wetland encroachment by farmers.
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