Kalimon Valley groups partner to mitigate climate change
Farmers planting a vegetable demonstration gardens in Loyoro Village, Karenga District. PHOTO/ RONALD SSETYABUL
What you need to know:
- The programme’s overall objective is to strengthen the resilience and peaceful coexistence of host and refugee populations through sustainable, gender transformative, and integrated use of local ecosystems, write Musinguzi Bamuturaki.
On a Monday morning, men and women are busy preparing vegetable demonstration gardens in Loyoro Village, Kalimon Parish, Kapedo Town Council, in Karenga District. The plan is to plant various vegetables in the gardens. There are nursery beds nearby where the farmers transfer seedlings to the demonstration gardens. They irrigate the soil with potable treadle solar pumps. The water is collected from the Kalimon valley dam.
There are five demonstration groups, each with 30 members growing different vegetables under the Climate Innovations for Resilience in Karamoja and Kyangwali (CLIRK), a project which seeks to develop better solutions for local climate challenges. In Karamoja, the project is introducing solutions around the Kalimon Valley Dam to improve water retention, governance of the valley dam, and livelihood opportunities.
Ilukori Longole, who lives in Lira Cell in Kalimon Parish, belongs to the sukuma wiki (kale) production group. The 48-year-old says the vegetable generates income for the group members.
“We plan to launch a village savings and loans association with part of the income while the rest will cater for our households. I have gained knowledge in vegetable production and learned skills in efficient water use and management under this project,” she says.
Teresa Natuk, a member of the tomato production group, looks forward to the harvest period because she anticipates making a lot of money from the sales.
“In addition, the tomatoes will help us improve the nutrition in the community because currently, we have a high level of malnutrition among our children. We also plan to launch a village savings and loan association,” she says.
Previously, the men of the village used to wake up early to loiter in the trading centre until evening. However, Mateo Lotwal, the LC1 chairperson of Kanyikwar Cell, says the men spend their days in the gardens.
“We go to the gardens in the morning and evening. My group is involved in the production of eggplants. These are good vegetables because the excess eggplants can be dried in the sun and eaten," he says.
The gardens are on five acres of different value chains of vegetables including cabbages, tomatoes, sukuma wiki, eggplants, onions, okra, and cowpeas.
Major Irrigation Schemes Emmanuel Opio Logwee, a project officer for the charity organisation, Farm Africa, says the objective of the project is to tackle nutrition, food insecurity, and provide a solution to the unpredictable climate changes in the Karamoja subregion.
“We are looking at climate innovations and resilience in the region. Our focus is to produce vegetables throughout the year to improve nutrition and household income. We are using the farmer field business school approach where farmers grow high-value vegetable,” he says.
The Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) is undertaking several programmes in the development and utilisation of water resources for productive use in crop irrigation, livestock, aquaculture, rural industries and other commercial uses to improve people’s livelihoods in rural areas through increasing the storage volumes for water for production. This is being done through the construction of medium irrigation schemes, small-scale irrigation schemes, earth dams, valley tanks, deep boreholes, and bulk water schemes.
The Kalimon Valley Dam was constructed by MWE in 2021. Whenever the Kidepo River floods its banks, the excess water is diverted to the valley dam. “When the valley dam overflows, the water is channeled to secondary ponds that flow into cattle troughs.
The community also collects water from the valley dam for domestic use,” Logwee explains. Karamoja Youth Efforts to Save the Environment (KAYESE), a community-based organisation, planted grass and trees around the valley dam to protect it from destruction. The organisation planted mango, orange, and guava fruit trees, which will also give the community nutritional value. When Sunday Monitor visited the site, workers were digging fish ponds under the cash-for-work approach.
Each pond will measure 2.5 meters deep and will contain 2,000 fish. The village members will form a group for fish farming. Charles Uma, the chief administrative officer of Karenga district, the CLIRK project has greatly improved the quality of life of residents of the district.
“The major achievements within this short period include the rehabilitation of the valley dam, planting of seedlings throughout the dry season, planting of wood and fruit trees, income generated from the sale of vegetables, and above all, the knowledge imparted with the apparent change in attitude towards adoption of new farming technologies,” he says.
The CLIRK project is being implemented by CARE International in partnership with Africa Tourism and Environment Initiatives (ATEI), Farm Africa, KAYESE, and the Uganda Change Agents Association.
The CLIRK project is the second phase of the Strategic Partnership Agreement programme (SPAII) in Uganda with funding from the Government of Denmark through DANIDA. It is implemented in Kyangwali Refugee Settlement in Kikuube district and the Karamoja districts of Kotido, Kaabong, and Karenga from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2025.
Refugee , host communities benefit
In Kyangwali, the project responds to the increased food insecurity among the refugee and host communities and environmental degradation because of multifaceted effects of climate change, displacement and the subsequent demand for land settlements and agricultural production. The Karamoja sub-region is classified in Acute Food Insecurity Phase 3 (Crisis).
The recent drought resulted in water and pasture scarcity for pastoralists. The programme seeks to strengthen the adaptive capacity of increasingly mobile pastoralists by supporting sustainable, secure, and productive valley dam-scapes through innovative market-based water, fodder, and food security solutions in and around valley dams.
The programme targets 16,000 pastoralists and women, and will address the problem through three interconnected solution areas: (1) innovative solutions to sustainable water access for livestock to prevent silting; (2) integrated and water-efficient food and fodder production such as drip irrigation and using crop residue as fodder and manure for composting; and (3) improved market information systems for selected products’ prices and availability such as milk, meat, fodder, and water.
“The project is intended to support the local community in Kapedo Town Council and the greater Karenga district as a learning center, to teach the community how climate change threats can be mitigated by improving soil water retention, appropriate farming methods, and water source governance for sustainable livelihood,” Uma says.
He stresses the importance of the project because Karenga district, like most parts of Karamoja, experiences a very high rate of evapotranspiration leading to rapid loss of soil moisture, aggravated by the unreliable and unpredictable weather pattern.
“Promoting soil moisture and water conservation plus appropriate farming methods becomes invaluable against such threats. The project contributes to Uganda's climate change mitigation and resilience efforts through promoting community-based climate risk mitigation awareness, knowledge, skills, and livelihood enhancement through environment-friendly and replicable interventions,” Uma adds.
Sustainable tourism
One of the notable innovations of the CLIRK project is the development of Kalimon Valley Dam as an agro-tourism destination. ATEI is working to reintegrate former cattle rustlers into society by equipping them with essential skills in tour guiding, community scouting, hospitality management, conservation advocacy, and peace-building. The training was part of the first phase of ATEI’s Ekkula Sustainable Tourism Capacity-Building Initiative in Karamoja.
Abraham Loyolo Otubo, who is from Kalimon Cell, is among the people that have been trained as tour guides to benefit from the neighbouring Kidepo Valley National Park, among others.
“We have been trained to be honest and welcoming to tourists. The project has also trained some people to make handicrafts and sell them to tourists,” he says.
The Kalimon Valley Dam Agro-Tourism CLIRK project addresses the critical need for water retention and access, vital for agricultural productivity in the face of climate change. “Through this project, we are handling human-wildlife conflicts, capacity building, and conflict resolution, to empower the community to be resilient,” Logwee says.
The initiative integrates agriculture, nature conservation, and culture, with active involvement from women, girls, and youth in its planning and execution. Through this initiative, ATEI and CARE are working to turn the valley into a hub of eco-friendly tourism that highlights the region’s unique cultural heritage and natural beauty while supporting local livelihoods. [email protected]
Demonstration gardens mitigate climate change
Demonstration gardens play a crucial role in mitigating climate change by promoting climate-smart agricultural practices and educating communities on sustainable agriculture. These gardens serve as living laboratories, showcasing the effectiveness of techniques like organic farming, agroforestry, and the use of drought-resistant crops.
They also help reduce urban heat islands and improve stormwater retention. By demonstrating the benefits of sustainable practices, demonstration gardens encourage wider adoption of climate-friendly solutions, ultimately reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building community resilience to climate impacts.
Organic farming: This reduces reliance on synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, lowering greenhouse gas emissions associated with their production and transport.
Agroforestry: Integrating trees into agricultural landscapes helps with carbon sequestration, soil conservation, and provides shade, improving water use efficiency.
Use of drought-resistant crops: This is crucial in regions facing increasing water scarcity, ensuring food security in the face of climate change.
Water harvesting: Demonstration gardens can showcase techniques for collecting and storing rainwater, reducing reliance on external water sources and improving water management.
Improving Stormwater Retention: Gardens can help to manage stormwater by increasing soil infiltration and reducing runoff, mitigating flooding and improving water quality.
Building Community Resilience: Demonstration gardens can serve as community hubs, fostering social interaction, providing access to fresh produce, and building resilience to climate change impacts.
Educating and Empowering Communities: By providing hands-on learning and showcasing successful practices, demonstration gardens empower communities to adopt sustainable solutions and become more resilient to climate change.
Biodiversity Conservation: Demonstration gardens can help to conserve biodiversity by promoting native plant species and creating habitats for wildlife.
Practical Learning: Demonstration gardens offer hands-on experience in growing food, managing soil, and implementing various gardening techniques, promoting practical skills and knowledge.
Nutrition and Sustainable Living: They provide opportunities to learn about the importance of fresh, seasonal produce, healthy eating habits, and sustainable farming practices.
Social Interaction and Belonging: Community gardens provide a space for people to connect, share knowledge, and build relationships, fostering a sense of community and social cohesion.
Increased Food Production: They can contribute to local food production, reducing reliance on external food sources and potentially lowering food costs.
The major achievements within this short period include the rehabilitation of the valley dam, planting of seedlings throughout the dry season, planting of wood and fruit trees, income generated from the sale of vegetables, and above all, the knowledge imparted with the apparent change in attitude towards adoption of new farming technologies
Charles Uma, Chief Administrative Officer - Karenga District
Source: Internet
