These unfavorable conditions have significantly disrupted the lives of residents, especially those who depend on agriculture and livestock for their livelihood.

In a bid to take action and offset the disastrous effects of climate change in the Teso region, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is working to equip farmers and communities with the tools to fight back .

With funding from the Norwegian Embassy in Uganda and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), FAO is implementing projects to strengthen climate resilience and improve the food and nutrition security of smallholder farmers and agro-breeders in Teso and the Ugandan cattle corridor.

Under this project, FAO constructed local community chicken breeding centers and irrigation facilities, as well as seed multiplication and conservation centers, in Amolator, Katakwi and Kaberamaido districts. These initiatives aim to increase agricultural productivity, improve food security and build resilience in the region.

Water facilities in the area include a solar-powered irrigation system in Aleble, Amolatar district. It has a hydrant system that covers more than 20 acres and can expand, with the capacity to pump 10,000 liters of water per hour. There is also the Magoro irrigation scheme in Katakwi district, which currently covers 30 acres but could be expanded using movable pipes.

In Toroma, Katakwi District, the Toroma Valley reservoir was reconstructed by FAO. This reservoir can accommodate at least 1,500 cattle and around 1,000 small ruminants during periods of drought.

“The surrounding farmers were very active and produced many types of cereals and some vegetables, but on a very small scale. But given the type of work they were doing, we thought they could be supported and start producing commercially, especially with crops,” says Mr. Dennis Besigye, FAO national consultant in charge of food production. agricultural water.

According to FAO Country Representative Dr. Antonio Querido, the water supply systems are intended to enable farmers to endure periods of drought and extend their agricultural seasons.

“This irrigation system offers farmers the possibility of having water at field level, allowing them to take advantage of fertile soils and be able to do more than two or three seasons per year. These irrigation systems therefore create an opportunity for farmers to expand their production system, explore other crops and ensure their production. It uses solar energy to pump water from the underground spring and deliver it to farmers in the field. The standpipes allow us to distribute water at a lower cost and we believe this system can be extended to other districts as well as other parts of Uganda,” says Dr Querido.

Betty Agweng, one of the Amolatar beneficiaries, believes that the irrigation system will significantly improve their production and nutrition by allowing them to continue farming all year round without interruption.

Two community hatcheries were created; one in Omodoi Cell, Ochero Municipal Council, Kaberamaido District, and the other in Katakwi Municipal Council, Katakwi District. These facilities will accelerate the multiplication of improved genetics in the region.

According to Dr. Querido, the initiative aims to help communities improve the genetics of their local chickens and create a sustainable production system. The hatcheries have a combined capacity to produce 1,880 chicks per week.

“Through this, we believe we will create capacity to improve the genetics of our local birds as they are disease resistant. This gives farmers the opportunity to increase their livestock.

Dr. Brian Babigumira of the National Agricultural Organization (Naro) notes that improved indigenous chickens provided to farmers are disease resistant and can thrive in harsh conditions.

“The genetics we bring here were developed from local chickens from Uganda, so there is no way this chicken will affect the genetics of this region. Native chickens have evolved with the environment over many years, allowing them to develop adaptive traits: they can survive high levels of disease, so they have a higher survival rate,” explains- he.

Cassava is an essential staple food in the Teso region, but soil conditions are not ideal for most crops. It is important to develop better cassava varieties that can withstand harsh environmental conditions and produce high yields. This is a top priority for the region’s agricultural sector.