Review of policies and frameworks on climate change, agriculture, food and nutrition security in

Catherine Mungai, Dorothy Amwata, Maren Radeny, Casim Umba Tolo and Dawit Solomon

AUGUST 2020

the country ranges from 800 to 1,500 m above sea level. Key messages Annual rainfall ranges from 1,000 to 1,500 mm for most of ◼ Uganda's decentralization policy seeks to the country, with the Lake Victoria region and highland ar- strengthen local governance by devolving eas receiving over 2,000 mm. Rainfall amounts have de- service delivery, promoting participation and creased more recently, often becoming unpredictable and empowering local people, and provides opportunities for the integration of climate less evenly distributed. Agricultural production in Uganda change into District-level Development Plans, is largely rainfed, thus variability in rainfall due to climate including agriculture, food and nutrition security. change has caused food shortages in several parts of the ◼ Food and nutrition security are not extensively country. explored in Uganda, as evidenced by the few projects under implementation. There is great A wide range of crops are cultivated and these include potential to explore the nexus between climate cereals such as maize, millet and sorghum; root crops variability and change and agriculture, food and such as cassava, sweet potatoes and Irish potatoes, ba- nutrition security. nanas and pulses including beans and peas (UFNP ◼ More funding should be channeled to the 2003). Livestock production is also important and in- National Agricultural Research Organization cludes dairy and beef cattle, poultry, sheep, goats and (NARO) to strengthen its capacity to develop pigs. The inland freshwater bodies also provide oppor- new and practices for building resilience and climate change adaptation in tunity for fishery. Hence, the available foodstuffs from the agriculture, including dissemination and scaling diverse crops and livestock sources potentially offer op- up of climate-smart technologies and practices portunity for a balanced diet to Uganda’s population. to communities. ◼ International research centers, and regional and Subsistence farmers using low-input and often unsustain- national research networks can play a vital role able faming systems produce most of the food in Uganda in providing training to farming communities, (UFNP 2003), and the country still faces problems of mal- agricultural extension service providers and to nutrition. There are also reports that indicate the exist- the private sector, especially on climate-smart ence of pockets of famine and hunger. For instance, agriculture (CSA) and associated improved agronomic practices and climate information nearly half of all households (46%) in Karamoja were food systems to inform on-farm decision making. insecure in 2016 ( College of Health and WFP 2016). In addition, stunting for chil- Introduction dren under five years is still prevalent at 34% (IFPRI 2016). Efforts have been made to reduce micronutrient Uganda has a warm tropical climate, except for the moun- deficiencies, especially vitamin A, iron deficiency and tainous areas which are much cooler. Although changes anemia particularly among pregnant women (IFPRI have been observed in recent years, the mean annual 2016). temperatures range from a minimum of 10°C-22°C to a maximum of 22°C-33°C. The average altitude for most of Uganda is facing climate variability and change more fre- quently than ever. This is observed through changing temperature patterns—often linked to more frequent and ◼ Very high relevance (5) – climate change or longer periods of drought spells that lead to significant agriculture, food and nutrition security are the primary loss of livestock and food and nutrition insecurity. Floods, objective; landslides, droughts and other extreme weather events ◼ High relevance (4) – climate change or agriculture, are also increasing in frequency and intensity, posing ad- food and nutrition security are a significant, but not ditional risks to agriculture, food and nutrition security, primary objective; livelihoods and resilience of rural farming communities. ◼ Moderate relevance (3) – climate change or Uganda’s economy is particularly vulnerable to climate agriculture, food and nutrition security objectives are change given its heavy reliance on natural resources, not explicitly stated; but the activities promote climate with rainfed agriculture as the backbone of the economy. change adaptation and mitigation actions, or Prolonged and frequent droughts in many parts of the agriculture, food and nutrition security; country, mainly the arid areas of the Northeast, have led ◼ Little relevance (2) – climate change or agriculture, to a significant decline in agricultural productivity and food and nutrition security are not the target objective, heavy reliance on food aid, and substantially affected the but activities have indirect adaptation and mitigation, country’s water resources and hydro-electric power pro- or agriculture, food and nutrition security benefits; duction (NAPA 2007, AMCEN 2011, Uganda National Cli- mate Change Policy 2015). ◼ Very little relevance (1) – climate change, or agriculture, food and nutrition security are not the Crop failures and other negative impacts of climate target objective at all, but activities have minimal change on agriculture affect food availability, accessibility indirect links to climate actions, or agriculture and and utilization, as well as the stability of food systems. food and nutrition security. Vulnerable populations (i.e. poor and marginalized, chil- dren, women and people with disabilities) are particularly The relevance scores were established for the different poorly equipped to cope with the adverse impacts of cli- components of climate change (adaptation and mate change, due to low resilience and adaptive capacity mitigation), agriculture (productivity), food and nutrition (GOU 2015). Despite this, there is limited proactive na- security (availability, access and utilization). The weights tional and sub-national response towards supporting de- were then aggregated to percentiles and grouped into mand-driven, participatory integrated community resili- three categories of relevance: high (≥75%), medium (50- ence building and climate change adaptation measures at 74%) and low (less than 49%). scale (Zake and Sekate 2015). National and sub-national responses often tend to be less coordinated and reactive, About 25 policies and frameworks on climate change, ag- when weather extremes and disasters such as floods, riculture, food and nutrition security were reviewed in famine and drought occur, as in the case of Isingiro in Uganda, including establishing the extent of their integra- 2016/2017, as well as during periodic pest outbreaks, tion. The policies and frameworks reviewed included the such as army worm that frequently affects maize. At the Second National Development Plan (NDP II) (2015/16‒ national level, programs of action for climate change ad- 2019/20), National Agriculture Policy (2013), National Ag- aptation were developed in 2006 and approved in 2007, ricultural Extension Policy (2016), Agriculture Sector Stra- but implementation both at the national and grassroots tegic Plan, Agricultural Education and Skills Improvement Framework (AESIF) (2015–2025), Uganda National Cli- level is still very slow. mate Change Policy (2015), Uganda Food and Nutrition Methods Policy (2003), and Food Nutrition Strategy among others. The review used three complementary approaches: (i) Integration of climate change into, desk review of relevant literature, publications, policy agriculture, food and nutrition security documents and frameworks on climate change, policies and frameworks agriculture, food and nutrition security; (ii) stakeholder Uganda has made great progress to integrate climate consultations, where experts from relevant government change adaptation and mitigation into agriculture, food ministries and agencies, and research organizations were and nutrition security policies and frameworks. Table 1 interviewed based on their engagement and contribution shows the weighted relevance ranges from 20% to 86%. to relevant policies and frameworks on climate change, Of the eight frameworks reviewed for agriculture, food agriculture, food and nutrition security; and (iii) relevance and nutrition security, for example, about 43% had a high scoring of national and sector-specific policies, weighted relevance score (≥75%), while another 36% had frameworks and programs regarding the extent to which a medium weighted relevance score (>49% to ≤74%). they are designed to address climate change adaptation Similar to other countries in the region, adaptation actions and mitigation, agriculture, food and nutrition security, are prioritized as compared to mitigation. The crosscut- with five weighted groups (on a scale of 1-5): ting frameworks such as the Constitution of the Republic

CCAFS INFO NOTE 2 of Uganda, had a weighted score of 43% while NDP II Climate change projects on the contrary had scores that had the highest weighted score of 87%. indicate a much higher level of integration.

Table 1. Integration of climate change into agriculture, Table 2. Integration of agriculture, food and nutrition se- food and nutrition security policies and frameworks curity into climate change policies and frameworks

Agriculture, food and nutrition security Agriculture, food and Climate change Climate change Weigh nutrition security Weighted policies and Produc Availa Utiliz ted Access policies and score (%) frameworks tivity bility ation score Adaptation Mitigation frameworks (%) National Policy for Agriculture Sector 4.0 3.5 75 Disaster Prepared- Strategic Plan 3.5 4.5 4.0 3.5 78 ness and Manage- National Agricultural ment (2010) 4.0 3.5 75 Extension Policy (2016) Uganda National Climate Change 4.8 4.3 4.0 2.0 76 Agriculture Sector 4.0 3.5 75 Policy (2015) Strategic Plan National Agriculture 2.5 3.0 55 National Adapta- Policy (2013) tion Programmes 4.5 3.5 3.0 2.5 68 Animal Breeding Act of Action 4 0.0 40 (2001) Agricultural Education National Strategy and Skills and Action Plan to Improvement 1.5 1.5 30 strengthen human Framework (AESIF) resources and skills to advance green, (2015–2025) 4.8 3.5 3.0 2.0 67 low-emission and Food and Nutrition climate-resilient 3 0.0 30 Strategy development in Uganda (2013- Uganda Food and 2022) 2 0.0 20 Nutrition Policy (2003) Uganda’s Intended Nationally Deter- 4.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 45 Average score 50 mined Contribution (2015) Integration of agriculture, food and Average 67 nutrition security into climate change policies and frameworks Institutional landscape for climate The review also examined the extent to which national cli- change, agriculture, food and nutrition mate change policies and frameworks integrate agricul- security ture, food and nutrition security. The weighted scores Climate change adaptation and mitigation is increasingly were relatively high ranging from 45% to 78% with an av- being undertaken by several institutions across scales in erage of 67% (Table 2). Uganda has integrated agricul- Uganda. Some of the global and regional initiatives on cli- tural productivity (90%) in its climate change policies, fol- mate change and agriculture relevant to Uganda include lowed by food availability (76%) and access (67%) while the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate utilization was the least integrated (47%). Change (UNFCCC) and the Comprehensive African Agri- culture Development Programme (CAADP) (2003). At the With the absence of harmonized or standardized tools to national level, several institutions cut across climate measure the extent of integration, the level of integration change adaptation and mitigation and agriculture, food of the policies and frameworks are based on the opinion and nutrition security. These include the Ministry of Agri- of the interviewer and respondents. Therefore, there is a culture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), the Minis- need to develop monitoring and evaluation tools to meas- try of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and ure progress on the integration of climate change, agricul- the Ministry of Water and Environment (Table 4). At the ture, food and nutrition security policies, strategies, and decentralized level in the districts, implementation of poli- frameworks across scales. cies, legislation and strategies related to climate change is vested within the Natural Resources Department of the In addition, the review examined the extent to which pro- District Local Government. However, it is also important jects and programs on agriculture, food and nutrition se- to stress that all departments are expected to ensure that curity integrate climate change adaptation and mitigation, climate change issues in their sectors are integrated into and vice versa. Of the 18 projects and programs evalu- the District Development Plans. ated, none had a high weighted score of ≥ 75%. The ma- jority (72%) had a low weighted score of ≤49% while only 28% had a weighted score of >49% to ≤74% (Table 3).

CCAFS INFO NOTE 3 Uganda has set up two committees on climate change, Table 4. Institutions supporting implementation of climate namely: i) the National Climate Change Policy Commit- change, agriculture and food security policies and frame- tee, chaired by the Prime Minister, to coordinate policy works in Uganda implementation and ensure information flow on resource National institutions Action areas allocation for the implementation of the policy, as well as Finance, climate change adaptation bring together ministers from various government minis- Ministry of Energy and and mitigation, agriculture and tries at the national level; and ii) the National Climate Minerals capacity building Change Advisory Committee, chaired by the Minister of Climate change adaptation and Water and Environment, which brings together technical Ministry of Planning and mitigation across sectors, including Economic Development representatives from various government departments at agriculture and financing the national level, including representatives from the pri- Climate change adaptation and Ministry of Agriculture, vate sector, civil society, academia and district authori- mitigation, agriculture, food and nu- Animal Industry and Fisheries ties. trition security

This review illustrates that most of the national institutions Uganda Food and Nutrition Adaptation, agriculture and capacity Council building are focused on enhancing agricultural productivity, food and nutrition security and promoting climate change ad- Ministry of Water and Mitigation, adaptation, capacity aptation, with limited focus on mitigation (adaptation co- Environment building and agriculture benefits). It is anticipated that similar structures will be replicated at the district level. The review also shows sig- Forestry Resource Research Adaptation, mitigation and nificant institutional overlap in the focus areas of interven- Institute agroforestry tions, with limited mechanisms for monitoring progress.

Table 3. Integration of climate change, agriculture, food Conclusions and opportunities for and nutrition security into programs and projects strengthening integration

Weighted Climate change, agriculture and food and nutrition secu- Programs and projects score (%) rity are key challenges to economic development in

Drought Adaptation Project Uganda, as outlined in its Vision 2040. Several policies, strategies and frameworks on climate change, agriculture Agricultural and Agribusiness Advisory Ser- and food and nutrition security exist at the national level. vices Program Medium (50-74%) However, their implementation and full operationalization USAID agriculture programs both at national and sub-national levels remain a key

Land Degradation Management Project challenge, with heavy reliance on donor funding for imple- mentation, raising critical questions on sustainability. Water for Production Project Therefore, there is need to allocate resources to stimulate Agricultural Value Chain Development Programme (AVCP) policy implementation during public budgeting processes Uganda Multi-Sectoral Food Security and Nutrition Pro- at the national and district levels. In addition, there is a ject need to increase funding for research institutions such as Agriculture Cluster Development Project (ACDP) NARO to strengthen their capacity to generate new tech- nologies to support climate change adaptation in agricul- Vector, Pests and Disease Control Project ture, food and nutrition security, including dissemination of technologies to user communities and support for pol- National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) icy implementation. Indigenous Knowledge and Natural Resources Manage- Low ment Project ≤49% The integration of adaptation co-benefits into the efforts of Agricultural Credit Facility (ACF) most national institutions focused on increasing agricul- Community Agricultural Infrastructure Improvement Pro- tural productivity, food and nutrition security and promot- gramme (CAIIP) ing climate change adaptation could enhance synergy Strengthening Meteorological Services Project with the country’s efforts to develop sustainable and low- emissions agriculture and augment Uganda’s climate Climate Change and Development Planning Project change mitigation endeavor.

Strengthening Meteorological Services Project Climate change, agriculture and food security are inter- Climate Change and Development Planning Project linked, and therefore require deliberate efforts in coordina- tion across scales. There is also a need for capacity build-

ing of leaders and communities to address climate change as an interdisciplinary issue at the national level.

CCAFS INFO NOTE 4 Government, development partners and research organi- The Info Note is part of a series of studies carried out zations such as the CGIAR need to work together to em- to review policies and frameworks on climate change, power communities in food and nutrition security in the agriculture, food and nutrition security across East context of a changing climate using community-based ap- Africa. proaches. This includes enhancing capacity at the district level (local government) for greater participation in devel- Dorothy A. Amwata ([email protected]) is a opment and implementation. Senior Lecturer, Department of Agricultural Sciences, South Eastern Kenya University. Further reading ◼ GOU. 2003. The Republic of Uganda The Uganda Catherine Mungai ([email protected]) is the Food and Nutrition Policy. Uganda. Partnership and Policy Specialist of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture ◼ GOU. 2005. The Uganda National Food and Nutrition and Food Security (CCAFS) East Africa. Strategy. Uganda. ◼ GOU. 2007. Uganda National Adaptation Plan for Casim Umba Tolo ([email protected]) is a Senior Action. Lecturer, Department of Biology, University of & Technology. ◼ GOU. 2015. Uganda National Climate Change Policy. The Republic of Uganda, Ministry of Water and Maren Radeny ([email protected]) is the Science Environment. Officer of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate ◼ International Food Policy Research Institute. 2016. Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) Global nutrition report 2016: From promise to impact: East Africa. Ending malnutrition by 2030. Dawit Solomon ([email protected]) is the ◼ Zake J, Sekate M. 2015. Innovations and Climate Regional Program Leader of the CGIAR Research Change Adaptation and Mitigation in Uganda; Policy Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food and Practice Recommendations. PROLINOVA, Security (CCAFS) East Africa. Uganda.

CCAFS INFO NOTE 5