The Government has launched a three-year initiative aimed at strengthening food systems, improving land governance and building climate resilience among farming and pastoral communities as the country grapples with the growing impacts of climate change.
The Accelerating Food Systems Transformation for Resilience to Climate Change in Africa project was unveiled during a National Inception Workshop at Protea Hotel in Entebbe on August 6. The initiative is supported by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the African Union (AU), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and other development partners.
Speaking at the launch, Lands, Housing and Urban Development Minister Judith Nabakooba said climate change continues to threaten livelihoods, food security and economic growth through prolonged droughts, floods, land degradation and escalating conflicts over natural resources.
She said Uganda, whose economy is largely dependent on agriculture, must strengthen the resilience of its food systems by addressing challenges beyond agricultural production.
“Resilient food systems require secure land rights, reliable climate information, sound policies and strong institutions working together,” Ms Nabakooba said.
The minister said the Ministry of Lands joined the initiative because land governance is central to sustainable development and climate adaptation.
She noted that secure land tenure encourages investment, boosts agricultural productivity, reduces land-related conflicts and enables communities to better adapt to the effects of climate change.
Under the project, Uganda will assess four priority areas: land tenure security, livestock value chains, index-based livestock insurance and climate-land information systems. The findings are expected to generate evidence to inform policy reforms and support the country’s broader agenda on climate adaptation and food systems transformation.
Ms Nabakooba said government remains committed to strengthening land governance through policy reforms, improved land administration systems and enhanced security of land tenure.
“Our Ministry continues to advance reforms that improve land administration, promote responsible land management and enhance access to land information. These efforts are essential for protecting land rights while supporting agricultural transformation, climate resilience and sustainable investment,” she said.
She called on participants at the inception workshop to critically review the project’s implementation framework to ensure its approaches reflect Uganda’s realities and development priorities.
The minister also underscored the need for close collaboration among government agencies, local governments, research institutions, development partners, civil society organisations and the private sector to ensure successful implementation.
“The findings from this project should not remain on paper. They should inform better policies, guide future investments and strengthen decision-making at both national and local levels,” she said.
The government pledged to work closely with development partners throughout the project’s implementation to strengthen land tenure security, improve climate-land information systems, enhance evidence-based policymaking and build national capacity to respond to climate-related challenges.
