WHAT WE DO:

HOPE activities involve supporting small-scale farmers in the whole country. In 2023, HOPE would like to carry out a number of activities and projects key among is to promote Sustainable Urban and Peri-urban Food and Nutrition Security in Mpigi and Wakiso districts. This aims to help attain our goal and mission, thus contributing to the UN SDGs. HOPE is interested in partnering with various stakeholders in order to successfully implement this project and activities.

Climate Change Toolkit A toolkit for Agriculture and adaptation to effects of climate change in Uganda a. Farmers: to increase their understanding of climate change, climate change effects of agriculture as well as strategies for adapting agricultural practices to effects of climate change.

b. Agricultural Planners: district and sub-county agriculture staff and development committees to access information for informing agricultural planning as well as for raising awareness among farmers on relationship between agriculture and climate changes as well as strategies for copying with climate change effects on agriculture.

c. Agricultural extension workers and agents: to access information for 2015 – 2017
informing agricultural planning as well as for raising awareness among farmers on linkage between agriculture and climate changes as well as strategies for copying with climate change effects on agriculture. d. Translation of the climate change toolkit Luganda, Luo and Runyakitara
Transforming
Agriculture for shared
Prosperity Workshop		 HOPE participated in a regional consultation workshop on strengthening the commercial Gums and Gum resins sector in Africa, Dakar, Senegal. a) Tool kit on climate smart Agriculture developed and disseminated.
b) Enhanced capacity for climate smart planning among planners and policy makers
c) Development of climate smart agriculture guidelines ·
d) Sustainable links created with agricultural extension workers and environment protection officers. ·
e) 80 policy makers trained in climate change related areas in the three regional workshops conducted. ·
f) Media personnel trained in climate change agriculture related reporting. ·
g) 39 pilot project technologies in the form of solar powered Eco stoves are in place.

ADAPTATION STRATEGIES

The flowing strategies and actions for response to effects of climate change are recommended:

Increasing capacity to understand climate change and effects on Agriculture

Climate change and known effects of climate change on agriculture have been described in section 2.5.3. It is highly probable that most farmers do not adequately understand the linkages between climate change and agriculture and therefore, there is need to help farmers better understand what climate change is and how it affects their agriculture effects. In this regard, the Tool Kit recommends the following actions for improving farmer knowledge or understanding of the relationship.

A)Disseminate the message about the relationship between climate change and agriculture through:

  1. Translating the messages in vernaculars and disseminating these messages through FM radios, community baraaza/ sensitization meetings, awareness promotion materials such as pamphlets and posters, among others. Messages may be tailored to general farmers or specific category of farmers.
  2. Equipping Trainers / agents to mobilize farmers and deliver the messages

 

B) Demonstrate effects of climate change and climate change adaptations strategies through:

1) Exchange visit or learning from success stories.

2) Establish model farms and farmers with suitable technologies.

 

Measures for reducing agriculture vulnerability to effects of Climate change.

A brief assessment of vulnerability of Uganda`s agriculture to effects of climate change is presented in section 2.4. The vulnerability manifests at individual farmer levels as well as at community or agro-region levels. The Tool Kit recommends the following measures for lessening farmer vulnerability to effects of Climate change.

  1. Adopting agriculture technologies of improved varieties of crops and animals. These technologies are widely distributed or accessed through government, NGO or private sector led initiatives and programs.
  2. Adopting use of agro inputs such as fertilizes (or manure) and appropriate farm technologies that increase capacity for agriculture production and value addition. In addition to acquisition of these technologies, farmers are required to acquire skills for their proper use and handling.   
  3. Adopting measures for controlling or minimizing losses due to pests and diseases.
  4. Adopting post-harvest handling, value addition technologies and value chain marketing strategies that increase value of agricultural returns.

Strategies for enhancing capacity to cope with effects of climate change.

These measures will complement the measures described in section 3.1 and 3.2 above.

  1. A) Adoption of Sustainable Land Management practices such as control of soil erosion and soil degradation by constructing ditches around homes, planting grass cover, terracing to divert runoff, mulching, and agro-forestry practices, among others.
  2. B) Invest in Climate change mitigation measures such as planting of trees, use       of alternative sources of energy, restoration of wetlands, e.t.c.
  3. C) Improve water use efficiency e.g., water harvesting for scale irrigation or supporting soil moisture content.
  4. D) Undertake insurance against losses through avenues such as forming groups such as SACCOs, cooperative societies that provide opportunities for value addition, access to competitive markets, microfinance and mobilizing extension services.

Towards sustainable Agriculture systems; effects in mitigation climate change   effects  

As far as possible, burning of crop residues, agriculture residues or any biomass should be avoided. It should instead be covered into compost. Even weeds can be converted into good quality compost. Burning any biomass adds to greenhouse gases to the atmosphere and in turn contributes toward the rise in temperature and global warming.

CONCLUSION

The Tool Kit provides information about Climate change and its effects on agriculture. This information is regarded as the most critical ingredient among the effects of helping farmers adapt to climate change effects. The assumption is based on the fact that knowledge is power, and in this regard, knowledgeable farmers will act faster and positively to adapt to effects of climate change.

The recommended strategies and action are broadly described. This is intended to ensure that farmers find it possible to choose most appropriate adaptation action that is affordable and with the greatest potential to succeed.