Uganda’s cattle corridor, a vital dryland ecosystem spanning over 84,000 square kilometres, is facing unprecedented threats from climate change.
Home to approximately 40% of the country’s human population and 90% of its cattle population, the region is crucial to Uganda’s livestock industry.
However, according to Eng. Ronald Kato Kayizzi, the assistant commissioner of water for production department at the water and environment ministry, the cattle corridor is losing a staggering sh107b annually due to dry spells, biodiversity loss and degraded landscapes.
The region’s challenges are multi-faceted. Deforestation, wetland degradation, soil erosion and water pollution are rampant, largely driven by high population growth, poverty and over-reliance on natural resources.
Kayizzi notes that besides financial losses, Uganda is also losing over 800,000 hectares of land to fi res, some of which are started by communities to regenerate pastures, while others occur as wildfires.
These losses have severe implications for the livelihoods of communities in the cattle corridor.
Government intervention
To address these challenges, the Government has initiated a project aimed at promoting sustainable and climateresilient land and water management in the cattle corridor.
Funded by the Global Environment Facility, the project will be implemented by Conservation International, in partnership with the water ministry and the Africa Innovations Institute.
The project, set to run from May 2026 to July 2031, aims to provide reliable safe water for communities and animals, while also undertaking conservation activities to protect the catchments.
Key of objective project
One of the key objectives of the project, according to Kayizzi, is to develop a water and investment plan to guide new and ongoing projects in the region.
This will involve moving water from areas of plenty, such as Lake Kyoga, to other districts in the cattle corridor. The project is also expected to benefit from co-financing from the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
According to Denis Mugagga, the head of the climate finance unit at the finance ministry, the initiative will be co-financed by a $50m (sh179.6b) project from the GCF.
Mugagga notes that the project will involve setting up new valley tanks and dams using improved systems, such as solar-powered pumps to manage catchments.
Farmers’ have their say
Farmers in the region are already feeling the impacts of climate change, with livestock susceptible to diseases during dry spells and floods causing loss of life and property.
Abdu Bbaale, a farmer in Rakai district, notes that during dry spells, their livestock are susceptible to diseases as they search for pasture.
The project is a crucial step towards addressing the challenges facing the cattle corridor, with the potential to improve livelihoods and protect the environment.
Minister reacts
The state minister for water, Aisha Sekindi, says the project will help reduce the region’s vulnerability to dry spells and floods, ensuring a sustainable water supply.
“By investing in water access, ecosystem restoration and conservation, we can reduce the region’s vulnerability to droughts and floods and ensure a sustainable water supply for generations to come,” she says.
