Low access to water, sanitation services cause of inequality in service delivery, says Speaker Among

Anita Annet Among has said limited access to safe water sanitation and hygiene have caused inequality in service delivery hence a major hindrance to sustainable development.

The speaker’s message was delivered by Dr Emmanuel Otaala, the chairperson Parliamentary Committee on Environment and Natural Resources at the launch of sixth annual Uganda Water and Environment Week (UWEWK).

This is an event that is organised annually by the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) through the Water Resources Institute (WRI).

Among said approximately 15,000 hectares, less than 3% of the potential irrigable area, have been developed under a formal irrigation system, and almost 87% of the total reported losses caused by floods or drought are from agriculture only.

“There is, therefore, no doubt that against growing threats of climate change and associated negative impacts on the Ugandan economy, climate resilience irrigation schemes will be able to provide reliable and sustainable water solutions for Ugandan farmers,” she said.

The schemes, she said, will contribute to enhancing agricultural productivity, improving food security, eradicating rural poverty, creating local job opportunities, and achieving sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

“Agriculture in Uganda is almost completely dependent on rain due to limited irrigation, thus making the farmers highly vulnerable to increasingly unpredictable rainfall patterns. Water therefore must be available in adequate quantities and corresponding qualities at the right time and right place in order to contribute to the achievement of the development goal of increasing household incomes and improving the quality of lives of the population,” she said.

Currently, according to the government, access to safe water in rural and urban areas stands at 69% and 72% respectively while access to basic sanitation in rural and urban areas is 78% and 89% respectively.

Among said low productivity in Uganda's agriculture is due to among others, lack of access to water resources.

“Water is particularly central to agriculture, the backbone of Uganda's economy, from which about 85% of the population derives their income and livelihood,” she noted.

She also asked the government to subsidise the cost of renewable energy alternatives like liquified petroleum gas for cooking, solar energy and electricity to save the environment because people rely on biomass resources of energy for cooking.

“The government should provide many irrigation systems to the people so that they are able to grow more food and also to move out of the wetlands. Provision of adequate water for agriculture will spur transformation of the economy through increased productivity of both livestock and crops,” she suggested.

Since its inception in 2018, the Uganda Water and Environment Week seeks to contribute towards the attainment of sustainable socioeconomic transformation and achieving Ugandan National Development Plan and vision 2040.

It provides an interface between sector actors and other stakeholders for knowledge exchange, advocacy, influencing, dialoguing, and learning for the improvement of Uganda’s water and environmental resources.

According to the Ministry  of Water, the event has evolved and grown to become the flagship program for advocacy, information sharing, and learning within the water and environment spectrum.

It said the format of the event provides an opportunity to engage and exchange information on water and environment management and development in general and across various sectors of the economy.

The event is positioned to deliver value internally and externally by promoting a multi-sectoral and integrated approach that links all sectors to water and environment.