Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
By Jesca [email protected]
Ddwaniro and Kapeke sub-counties in Kiboga District are among the
dry areas in Uganda with agro-pastoralism as the common economic activity.
Prolonged droughts are frequent in these areas, often leading to death of animals, es-pecially cattle because of water and pasture scarcity.
Mr Benon Mukuuma is one of the farmers in Bulongo village, Ddwaniro Sub-county, who keeps cattle and engaged in crop production. A few metres away from his farm is a water dam and on the other side of his vegetable garden is a water tank.
Mr Mukuuma grows veg-etables here at any season and harvests at any time. During the rainy season, there is no need for supplementary irriga-tion but in the dry season, he draws water from the dam and irrigates his gardens.
Mr Mukuuma is one of the farmers who are benefiting from the Food and Agriculture organization (FAO) project of Global Climate Change Alli-ance (GCCA), funded by the European Union and the Royal Kingdom of Belgium imple-mented in Kiboga District and five other districts of Mubende, Sembabule, Luwero, Nakaseke and Nakasongola.
FAO has for the past years been training farmers in Kiboga District and supporting them to engage in better agricultural services to increase their re-silience to climate change. In addition to training, FAO has constructed more than 15 val-ley tanks, eight community ir-rigation systems and over 100 household based rain water harvesting systems which en-able farmers to harvest and conserve water for livestock and irrigation of crops during
the dry seasons. This assistance has enabled farmers to grow crops throughout the year.
“I used to harvest about 20 sacks of red pepper but now I harvest more than 100 sacks every year because of the irri-gation system,” Mr Mukuuma says.
Farmer Field SchoolsFAO uses the Farmer Field
School (FFS) approach in these villages and farmer field schools, where farmers gather and field extension workers teach them agriculture-related issues.
In Kiboga, FAO works with Hunger Project, another or-ganisation helping farmers to implement modern agricul-ture practices. In addition FAO has supported in 30 farmers in Kalokola village under Agali Awamu Farmer Field School to learn modern agriculture skills, which they say have changed their lives.
Ms Edisa Komugisha, the
chairperson of Agali Wamu Farmer Field School, recalls that before the intervention of FAO, she could trek long distances to the market to buy vegetables.
“I no longer have any rea-son to leave my home. I can grow all vegetables in sacks any time and I will never lack sauce. I even feel happy when my friends gather here and we learn more agricultural skills,” Ms Komugisha says.
She runs a nursery tree bed for mangoes, eucalyptus, cof-fee and other seedlings, which she sells to other farmers. She also grows vegetables from sacks around her home com-pound.
“I always get enough to eat and sell more to get money. Given these activities, I can easily look after my family well without any other support,” she adds.
The practices and services in Ddwaniro Sub-county are similar to those in Kapeke Sub-
county where majority of the residents are farmers.
After realising the end-less benefits from FAO pro-grammes, farmers appeal to the district officials to convince the organisation to continue supporting them.
“Before the coming of FAO, farmers were growing crops
using traditional methods and even didn’t have any idea of what they are supposed to do, especially during the dry sea-son which is no longer the case. I appeal to the district officials to handle them well and take these practices forward,” Mr Frank Gasimula, a resident of Ddwaniro, says.
Efforts. The UN agency has for the past years been training farmers in adopting modern agriculture practices such as irrigation and water conservation.
FaO transforming farmers’ lives
By Jesca [email protected]
Uganda is increasingly expe-riencing negative effects of climate change, manifested
by rise in temperatures and unreli-able rainfall. Increase in frequency
and intensity of droughts, floods and landslides are predicted to lsignificantly impact on liveli-hoods of rural communities, which largely depend on rain-fed agri-culture and natural resources.
During this year’s World Food Day celebrations Mr Alhaji M.
Jallow, FAO’s Country Represen-tative in Uganda, stressed that climate change is most bluntly af-fecting the poor who earn a living and feed their families from the very sectors that are highly vulner-able to climate change.
In order to respond to the chal-
lenges of climate change, FAO has been implementing several projects aimed at improving the resilience of smallholder farmers to the effects of climate change.
Since 2012, FAO in partnership with the Ministry of Water and En-vironment has been implement-ing the four-year Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA) project funded by the European Union and the Royal Kingdom of Bel-gium in six target districts of the central cattle corridor (Kiboga, Luweero, Mubende, Nakaseke, Nakasongola and Sembabule).
The GCCA project was set up
to strengthen the resilience of rural populations and agricul-tural production systems in the central part of the cattle corridor and build capacities of commu-nities, commercial farmers and government to cope with climate change.
The project is organised around three results; knowledge and ca-pacities for climate change ad-aptation strengthened, better access of livestock and crops to water through water for produc-tion investments and resilience of agricultural production systems in the cattle corridor improved.
Agency helping farmers to cope with climate change
FUNDERS Global climate change alliance – uganda project on agriculture adaptation to climate change is being implemented by FaO, in collaboration with the climate change unit of the Ministry of Water and environment, Ministry of agriculture, animal Industry and Fisheries, farmer groups and district local governments of Nakasongola, Nakaseke, Luwero, kiboga, Mubende and sembabule. The project was funded to a tune of €14 million, €11 million by european union with contribution from the Republic of Ireland and €3 million by the Royal kingdom of Belgium.
Mr Benon Mukuuma, a farmer takes visitors on a tour of his vegetable garden. FAO has equipped farmers in Kiboga District with modern skills of farming to get more yields. PHOTO BY JESCA NABUKENYA
Farmers in Mubende District can now afford to grow crops even in dry seasons by using different irrigation systems.
EAST AFRICA SECURITIES ALSI
Daily Monitorwww.monitor.co.ug
MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 8
By Jesca [email protected]
1. Knowledge and capaci-ties for climate change adap-tation strengthened national Capacity for climate change adaptation strengthened
National resource centre for climate change constructed and equipped.
A capacity development plan for the Climate Change Department (CCD) developed and five staff trained for MSc In climate change.
Strengthened capacity of four regional centres (Mbarara, Lira, Nakapiripit, and Mbale) in climate change research and dissemination with IT equip-ment and demonstrations.
Mainstreamed climate changes issues into the Second National Development Plan (NDP II) and supported the development of Uganda’s In-tended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC).
Increased knowledge and awareness on climate change Issues
Awareness campaigns in more than 20 districts, more than 500 district staff, parlia-mentary committee members
and staff in the Ministry of Local Government, MFED and MWE trained.
Facilitated international dialogues on climate change between Ugandan secondary schools and those in Switzer-land and France as Pre COP events to raise climate change awareness among school chil-dren.
More than 200 teachers from 50 schools have been trained in climate change.
Climate Vulnerability Assess-ment and Cost Benefit Analysis conducted in five agro-ecolog-ical zones. (North Eastern Dry-lands, North Eastern Savannah grasslands, Low lying Kyoga plains, Pastoral Rangeland and Highland ranges. A climate change knowledge manage-ment system established in each of the six GCCA districts.
2. Better access of livestock and crops to water through water for production invest-ments
Scarcity of water for livestock and crop production is a major factor limiting productivity in the cattle corridor.
The increased frequency of droughts, increased tempera-tures, reduced and erratic rain-fall are common features in the corridor. Crop failure and livestock death were common problems that the GCCA tack-
led through construction of valley tanks, irrigation schemes and small water tanks.
15 valley tanks constructed for livestock and crop produc-tion with capacity of 10,000 m³ (10 million litres) to provide wa-ter benefiting more than 37,000 cattle.
Four community-based ir-rigation systems were estab-lished with reservoir capacity of 6,000 m³, benefiting more than 150 households in year round crop production on about 30 acres. Increase in household in-come of $700 has been realised through sale of irrigated crops like tomatoes.
More than 100 small scale household water tanks con-structed for provision of do-mestic, crop and livestock wa-ter needs.
Household food and income security have been improved through year-round produc-tion, saving money on buying water and sale of produce such as vegetables, eggs and milk. Annual income of more than $800 has been reported by households accruing from the established water structures.
3. Resilience of agricultural production systems in the cattle corridor improved
A total of 756 Farmer Field Schools set up with 22,000 ben-eficiary households benefiting
in modern climate smart agri-culture practices.
A total of 132 Village Savings and Loan Associations have cumulatively saved more than $130,000 (Shs455m) and invest-ing at least 40 per cent in ad-aptation.
A total of 1,500 acres of im-proved drought tolerant crop and pasture varieties estab-lished with yield increases of between 30 and per cent re-ported in different crops.
Two standard nurseries sheds for multiplication of vegeta-tively propagated pastures, 20 fodder based agro-forestry and 30 forage demonstration fields established and equipped with labour saving technologies for dry season feeding systems.
A training manual on oyster mushroom production was developed, 72 farmers (60 per-cent women) trained and three spawn production centres es-tablished. 60 pioneer mush-room farmers have a capacity for harvesting about 54,000kgs of fresh mushrooms worth $90,000.
More than 10,000 Kuloirer chicks provided to farmers with a six-month maturity compared to one year of indigenous chicken, leading to double the household income from poul-try.
Bio-energy plantations and
improved charcoal produc-tion technologies promoted
More than 1,270 acres of bio-energy plantations and wood-lots established.
Six studies conducted to as-sess local fuel demand, com-mercial charcoal production, and review of existing improved kiln technologies.
A total of 641 trainers (40.7 percent females and 59.3 per-cent males) of trainees trained in construction of energy saving stoves in six GCCA districts.
Bio-energy plantations and improved Charcoal produc-tion
More than 1,270 acres of bio-energy plantations and wood-lots established.
Six studies conducted to as-sess local fuel demand, com-mercial charcoal production, and review of existing improved kiln technologies.
Climate change adaptation practices for coffee produc-tion promoted
Climate change interventions disseminated to 12,000 coffee farmers (disease and drought tolerant varieties, water har-vesting, bottle drip irrigation, agro-forestry, fertilizer applica-tion, and soil and water con-servation). 50 percent increase in coffee production realised upon adoption of adaptation practices.
Eight elite coffee nurseries established in Luweero and Na-kaseke districts and more than 1,000,000 seedlings produced and disseminated to farmers.
FaO’s key achievementsAttainments. We document the achievements made by the UN agency in transforming the cattle corridor.
FOOD SECURITYHousehold food and income security have been improved through year round production, saving money on buying water and sale of produce like vegetables, eggs and milk. annual income of more than $800 has been reported by households accruing from the established water structures.
FAO has constructed several valley water tanks and dams to solve the water scarcity problem in the cattle corridor.
PHOTO BY JESCA NABUKENYA
Daily Monitorwww.monitor.co.ug
MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2016Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations> 9
