We are committed to ensuring sustainable management of Uganda's water and environment resources for the benefit of present and future generations. Our mission is to promote and ensure the rational and sustainable utilization of water and environment resources for socio-economic development.
Our Mission Statement:
To promote efficient and effective utilization of water and environment resources for a healthy, wealthy and climate resilient population
Vision Statement:
Transformed Ugandan Society with environment and natural resources sustainably managed.
Minister of Water & Environment
Minister of State for Environment
Minister of State for Water
Minister of Water & Environment
Minister of State for Environment
Minister of State for Water
On 26th August 2026, the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) through the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Regional Centre 4 - Wakiso (RWSSRC 4), together w...
Ministry of Water and Environment, Jinja District Harmonize Plans to Reopen Namavundu Central Forest...
KYANKWANZI, UGANDA - In a major boost to safe water coverage and agricultural resilience in central...
Local government leaders from five districts along the River Nile have pledged total support for a m...
35 Solar Powered Mini-Piped Water Schemes. The 35 Solar Powered Mini-Piped Water Schemes (SPMPWS) project was a significant initiative undertaken by the Ministry of Water and Environment, aimed at enhancing access to safe and reliable water supply in numerous rural and semi-urban communities across Uganda. This project leveraged renewable solar energy to power water pumping and distribution systems, representing a sustainable and cost-effective approach to expanding water coverage and improving public health. The focus on solar technology underscored Uganda’s commitment to environmentally friendly solutions and climate change adaptation in the water sector. Key Objectives Achieved by the Project: The SPMPWS project successfully accomplished several crucial objectives: Increased Access to Safe Water: The primary objective of providing increased access to safe and clean piped water was met across the target communities. The installation of 35 mini-piped schemes significantly expanded the reach of reliable water sources to previously underserved populations. Activities included: Drilling of boreholes, installation of solar panels and submersible pumps, construction of elevated storage tanks, and laying of distribution networks with public water points and household connections. Promotion of Sustainable and Green Technology: The project championed the use of solar energy, demonstrating a commitment to sustainable water supply solutions. This reduced reliance on fossil fuels, lowered operational costs for communities, and minimized the carbon footprint of water provision. Activities included: Design and installation of solar power systems tailored to the specific water demand of each scheme. Improved Health and Hygiene: By ensuring the availability of safe piped water, the project directly contributed to improved public health outcomes in the beneficiary communities. This reduced the incidence of waterborne diseases and facilitated better hygiene practices. Activities included: Community sensitization on water safety, hygiene, and proper utilization of the new piped water systems. Enhanced Community Management and Ownership: The project fostered strong community involvement in the management and maintenance of the water schemes. This approach aimed to ensure the long-term functionality and sustainability of the infrastructure. Activities included: Training of Water User Committees (WUCs) in scheme operation, maintenance, and financial management. Economic Benefits for Communities: Reliable access to water freed up time, particularly for women and children who traditionally spent hours fetching water, allowing them to engage in more productive activities. This indirectly stimulated local economic development. Activities included: Creating local employment opportunities during the construction phase and empowering communities to manage their own water resources. Project Scope and Impact: The SPMPWS project involved the complete development and commissioning of 35 independent solar-powered mini-piped water schemes across various districts in Uganda. Each scheme typically comprised a high-yielding borehole as the water source, a robust solar power system to drive the pump, a submersible pump to abstract water from the borehole, an elevated water storage tank to ensure gravity-fed distribution, and a network of pipes distributing water to multiple public standpipes (water points) and, in some cases, private household connections. The implementation of these schemes resulted in a tangible improvement in the quality of life for thousands of Ugandans, providing them with consistent access to safe, clean water right within their communities. The project stands as a testament to the effectiveness of decentralized, solar-powered solutions in addressing water scarcity challenges, especially in rural and underserved areas.
The five-year project aims to restore degraded sections of ten wetland systems and maintain their integrity for improved water availability, flood abatement, biodiversity flows and climate amelioration measured in area of wetland restored and maintained in hectares by the DLGs, Regional Technical Support Units (RTSUs) and MoWE. The key interventions under the project include; demarcating 2500km of wetlands through planting of pillars and gazettement, restoring 31,000ha of wetland hydro-ecological and socio-economic services, developing 40 management plans for the restored wetlands, promoting 1160 wetland-based enterprises for improved community livelihoods, elevating the status of 5 selected wetlands by designating them as reserves and Ramsar Sites, strengthening 237 wetland technical and institutional capacity at National, District and Community levels and enhancing public and stakeholder awareness for 600,000hhs for effective participation. The project is being implemented in the following target areas: Lumbuye, Kibimba, Awoja, Ssezibwa, Mayanja, Tochi, Enyau, Aswa, Muzizi and Mpanga wetland systems.
Introduction The Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) with technical support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is implementing a project titled “Reducing the climate change vulnerability of local communities in Uganda through Ecosystem Based Adaptation (EbA) in forest and wetland ecosystems”. The project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Least Developed Country Fund (LDCF) totaling USD 4,350,000. The goal of this project is to reduce the vulnerability of communities living around wetlands and forests to climate change with the specific objective of increasing the technical and institutional capacity of government authorities and local communities in Uganda to implement EbA in wetland and forest ecosystems to reduce vulnerability of dependent communities to observed and anticipated effects of climate change. The project outcome areas: Outcome 1: Technical and institutional capacity at the local and national level to integrate EbA into existing management plans for wetlands and forests is strengthened Outcome 2: Climate change vulnerability of communities living around degraded wetlands and forests is decreased through the implementation of EbA interventions Outcome 3: Communities living at the project intervention sites have increased capacity to adopt alternative livelihoods and climate-resilient agriculture techniques to decrease their vulnerability to climate change and reduce degradation of wetlands and forests. Outcome 4: Increased knowledge and awareness of government officials and communities at project intervention sites of: i) the ecosystem services provided by wetlands and forests; and ii) the benefits of EbA for increasing the resilience of livelihoods to climate change Project intervention sites: This project is being implemented in four intervention areas-ecosystems R Enyau system (Arua; Arua City) R Sironko system (Sironko; Bulambuli) R Rwambu-Mpanga system (Ibanda; Kitagwenda and Kamwenge) R Rwizi-Nakivale system (Mbarara; Mbarara City)
FIEFOC II The Farm Income Enhancement and Forest Conservation Programme – Project 2 (FIEFOC – 2) has been a significant development initiative for Uganda, designed within the context of the Government’s National Development Plan II (NDP II) and the long-term development strategy, Vision 2040. Both national frameworks have promoted agricultural infrastructure and income enhancement as key drivers of socio-economic progress. Building upon the achievements of its predecessor, FIEFOC 1 (which concluded in December 2012), FIEFOC – 2 has played a crucial role in the national agenda to significantly increase the land area under irrigated agriculture from 14,418 hectares in 2014 towards the ambitious target of about 420,000 hectares by 2035. The project has completed its operations in December 2024, following a “no cost extension” agreement between the African Development Bank and the Government of Uganda. ABOUT FIEFOC II Farm Income Enhancement and Forest Conservation Programme – Project 2 (FIEFOC –2) is designed within the context of the Government of Uganda’s National Development Plan II (NDP II), and the long term development strategy, the Vision 2040 both of which promote agricultural infrastructure and income enhancement. The project was initially designed as a five – year development project (2016-2021), but was later extended under “no cost extension” to December 2024, following an agreement between the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Government of Uganda (GoU). The project is further designed to assist the Government of Uganda increase land area under irrigated agriculture from 14,418 hectares in 2014 to about 420,000 hectares by 2035. The project also seeks to consolidate and expand notable achievements registered under FIEFOC 1, which ended in December 2012. The overall objective of FIEFOC – 2 is to contribute to poverty reduction and economic growth in Uganda through enhanced productivity and commercialization of agriculture. Specifically, the project aims to improve household incomes, food security and climate resilience through sustainable natural resources management and agricultural enterprise development. The project has four components, including Agricultural Infrastructure Development, Agribusiness Development, Integrated Natural Resources Management and Project Coordination. The primary project beneficiaries, estimated at 1,816,756 are found in the districts of Pakwach, Oyam, Butaleja, Kween, and Kasese, where five irrigation schemes are constructed. These include Mubuku II irrigation scheme (Kasese district), Doho II irrigation scheme (Butaleja District), Tochi irrigation scheme (Oyam District), Ngenge irrigation scheme (Kween District) and Wadelai irrigation scheme (Pakwach District). The Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) jointly implement the project. The water ministry is the executing agency, responsible for implementation of irrigation infrastructure and related activities under project component one and the natural resources management activities under component three. While the agriculture ministry is a key implementing partner, responsible for implementation of agronomy and extension related activities and the agri-business development. The African Development Bank (AfDB), Nordic Development Fund (NDF) and the Government of Uganda (GoU) are the key financiers of the project at the tune of USD 91, 43 million. Overall Objective and Specific Aims: The overarching objective of FIEFOC – 2 has been to contribute substantially to poverty reduction and economic growth in Uganda through enhanced productivity and commercialization of agriculture. More specifically, the project has aimed to: Improve household incomes and food security. Strengthen climate resilience among farming communities. Achieve these goals through sustainable natural resources management and robust agricultural enterprise development. Project Components: The project has been structured around four key components to achieve its comprehensive objectives: Agricultural Infrastructure Development: Has focused on the construction and rehabilitation of vital agricultural infrastructure, primarily irrigation schemes. Agribusiness Development: Has aimed at supporting the commercialization of agriculture by strengthening value chains and market linkages for farmers. Integrated Natural Resources Management: Has focused on promoting sustainable land use, soil and water conservation, and forest conservation to ensure the long-term health of the environment supporting agriculture. Project Coordination: Has ensured efficient management, monitoring, and evaluation across all project activities and implementing partners. Key Achievements and Scope: FIEFOC – 2 has delivered significant tangible outcomes across its target areas. The project’s primary beneficiaries, estimated at 1,816,756 individuals, have been found in the districts of Pakwach, Oyam, Butaleja, Kween, and Kasese. A cornerstone of the project’s success has been the construction of five major irrigation schemes: Mubuku II irrigation scheme (Kasese District) Doho II irrigation scheme (Butaleja District) Tochi irrigation scheme (Oyam District) Ngenge irrigation scheme (Kween District) Wadelai irrigation scheme (Pakwach District) Ministry Roles in Implementation: The project has been a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF). Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE): As the executing agency, MWE has been responsible for the implementation of irrigation infrastructure and related activities under the Agricultural Infrastructure Development component (Component 1). MWE also has led the natural resources management activities under Component 3. Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF): As a key implementing partner, MAAIF has been responsible for agronomy and extension-related activities, as well as agribusiness development initiatives under Component 2. Impact and Legacy: The completion of FIEFOC – 2 has marked a significant milestone in Uganda’s journey towards agricultural transformation and climate resilience. The five newly constructed irrigation schemes have provided essential infrastructure to support year-round farming, reduce climate vulnerability, and boost food security in their respective regions. The project’s integrated approach to agricultural development and natural resources management has laid a stronger foundation for sustainable farming practices, contributing directly to poverty reduction and enhanced economic growth for hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries across the targeted districts. The experiences and lessons learned from FIEFOC-2 continue to inform future strategies for sustainable agriculture and water resource management in Uganda.
35 Solar Powered Mini-Piped Water Schemes. The 35 Solar Powered Mini-Piped Water Schemes (SPMPWS) project was a significant initiative undertaken by the Ministry of Water and Environment, aimed at enhancing access to safe and reliable water supply in numerous rural and semi-urban communities across Uganda. This project leveraged renewable solar energy to power water pumping and distribution systems, representing a sustainable and cost-effective approach to expanding water coverage and improving public health. The focus on solar technology underscored Uganda’s commitment to environmentally friendly solutions and climate change adaptation in the water sector. Key Objectives Achieved by the Project: The SPMPWS project successfully accomplished several crucial objectives: Increased Access to Safe Water: The primary objective of providing increased access to safe and clean piped water was met across the target communities. The installation of 35 mini-piped schemes significantly expanded the reach of reliable water sources to previously underserved populations. Activities included: Drilling of boreholes, installation of solar panels and submersible pumps, construction of elevated storage tanks, and laying of distribution networks with public water points and household connections. Promotion of Sustainable and Green Technology: The project championed the use of solar energy, demonstrating a commitment to sustainable water supply solutions. This reduced reliance on fossil fuels, lowered operational costs for communities, and minimized the carbon footprint of water provision. Activities included: Design and installation of solar power systems tailored to the specific water demand of each scheme. Improved Health and Hygiene: By ensuring the availability of safe piped water, the project directly contributed to improved public health outcomes in the beneficiary communities. This reduced the incidence of waterborne diseases and facilitated better hygiene practices. Activities included: Community sensitization on water safety, hygiene, and proper utilization of the new piped water systems. Enhanced Community Management and Ownership: The project fostered strong community involvement in the management and maintenance of the water schemes. This approach aimed to ensure the long-term functionality and sustainability of the infrastructure. Activities included: Training of Water User Committees (WUCs) in scheme operation, maintenance, and financial management. Economic Benefits for Communities: Reliable access to water freed up time, particularly for women and children who traditionally spent hours fetching water, allowing them to engage in more productive activities. This indirectly stimulated local economic development. Activities included: Creating local employment opportunities during the construction phase and empowering communities to manage their own water resources. Project Scope and Impact: The SPMPWS project involved the complete development and commissioning of 35 independent solar-powered mini-piped water schemes across various districts in Uganda. Each scheme typically comprised a high-yielding borehole as the water source, a robust solar power system to drive the pump, a submersible pump to abstract water from the borehole, an elevated water storage tank to ensure gravity-fed distribution, and a network of pipes distributing water to multiple public standpipes (water points) and, in some cases, private household connections. The implementation of these schemes resulted in a tangible improvement in the quality of life for thousands of Ugandans, providing them with consistent access to safe, clean water right within their communities. The project stands as a testament to the effectiveness of decentralized, solar-powered solutions in addressing water scarcity challenges, especially in rural and underserved areas.
The five-year project aims to restore degraded sections of ten wetland systems a...
Introduction The Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Water and Environm...
FIEFOC II The Farm Income Enhancement and Forest Conservation Programme – Projec...
The Ministry of Water and Environment is committed to avoiding, minimizing, and mitigating adverse environmental and social impacts associated with its projects, as well as adopting a gender-sensitive and gender-equitable approach for all its projects.
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