Strengthening the Adaptive Capacity and Resilience of Communities in Uganda’s Watersheds

Introduction The Government of Uganda (GOU) has received funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the African Development Bank (AfDB) for the development of the Strengthening the Adaptive Capacity and Resilience of Communities in Uganda’s watersheds project (SACRiAC). The Project’s Executing Agency, the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE), is responsible for the overall implementation and management of the Project. The project (SACRiAC) objective is to build adaptive capacity of rural communities and reduce their vulnerability to climate change and improve rural livelihoods and food security through integrated watershed management, climate-resilient infrastructure, and sustainable agriculture. SACRiAC will be implemented in Bukedea, Sironko, Kapchorwa, and Bulambuli districts, within the Awoja catchment downstream of the sub-catchments of Komirya, Sironko, Simu-sisi, Muyembe, and Sipi. It will be implemented, with focus on catchment management and improving rural livelihood. Background Uganda’s economy and local communities are vulnerable to climate change and variability as a result of several compounding factors: heavy reliance on natural resources, particularly within the agricultural sector; dependence on rain-fed agriculture; close linkages between agriculture performance and climatic changes – with the gross domestic product (GDP) and inflation rates closely corresponding to seasonal rainfall patterns; high population growth rates – ~3.6% per year – that in combination with high poverty levels reduce capacity to cope with climate hazards; low per capita income; limited financial capacity to fund adaptation measures; weak and inadequate infrastructure; inadequate supply of clean water and sanitation facilities; and inadequate availability of health and medical services. Floods and droughts have the greatest impacts on local communities as well as socio-economic sectors – particularly the agriculture sector. Other predicted socio-economic impacts will result in the reduction of: national security; the life-span and durability of infrastructure; hydropower production; human health; and ecosystem integrity, and thus natural capital. Climate change is expected to disproportionately affect vulnerable groups. These include the poor, people living with disability and HIV/AIDS, youth and children – orphans in particular – the elderly, refugees, and marginalized communities. Current and future impacts of climate change, therefore, make adaptation urgent. Without adaptation, the negative effects of climate change will undermine years of development assistance and asset accumulation in Uganda. Effective adaptation planning – in the context of this project and in particular for an increase in intensity and frequency of droughts, floods, and severe storms requires: improved climate monitoring and early warning systems; reduced vulnerability of people, livelihoods, physical assets, and watersheds to the adverse effects of climate change, through improved storage and reduced land degradation; and strengthening institutional capacities for effective climate change Adaptation.