The Ministry of Water and Environment( MWE) through the Department of Environment Sector Support Services( DESSS) with financial support from Global Environment Facility ( GEF) and technical support from United Nations Environment Program ( UNEP) is implementing “Reducing the Climate Change Vulnerability of the local communities in Uganda through Ecosystem Based Adaptation “( EbA) in Wetland and Forest Ecosystem.
Officials from MWE together with Bulambuli and Sironko district officials and Timesis SRL Consultant team is carrying out a 3 day results verification exercise of the project.
Timesis SRL Consultant team was contracted by UNEP to provide an independent verification of the projects indicators as defined in the logical framework. The exercise will assess the attainment of the projects indicators and generate quantitative and qualitative evidence to inform the projects mid term review and serve as key input into the projects final report to the Global Environment Facility ( GEF).
The EbA project is implemented in four ( 4) project sites of; River Enyau, River Sironko, River Rwizi and River Rwambu-Mpanga ecosystems.
Mr. Wanasolo Richard Reeves the field coordinator of Tabu Cooperative Society Limited, a community based organization in Bulambuli district contracted by MWE/ EbA project to implement the alternative livelihoods intervention said that, EbA focused on farmers who were encroaching and degrading the Sironko river banks. He further said, these farmers were organized into 19 farmer groups; nine ( 9 ) in Bulambuli district and ten( 10) in Sironko district with a total of 415 small holder farmers.
The farmers were trained on a number of Climate related Agricultural practices and supported with alternative livelihoods inputs such as piggery, goat rearing, poultry and production of high value vegetables, maize and Soyabeans.
The farmers have equally been trained on how to conserve soil along the river banks, construction of energy saving stoves, Finance literacy on savings and credit, agroforestry and gender awareness.