Katakwi District has begun implementing the Uganda Climate Smart Agricultural Transformation Project (UCSATP), a six-year initiative funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries (MAAIF) with support from the World Bank. Valued at Shs 1.2 trillion, the project aims to integrate climate-smart technologies into agriculture to enhance productivity, household incomes, and resilience to climate shocks.
Over the weekend, a consultative review meeting was held in Katakwi to assess the project’s progress.
The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including Odeng Emmanuel Robert, Senior Sustainable Environment Officer at MAAIF; John Opus Robert, Monitoring and Environmental Specialist; and Moses Anguria, Senior Social Development Officer.
Discussions focused on project implementation, infrastructure needs, community engagement, and Environmental and Social Screening (ESS) in selected areas.
The UCSATP is expected to directly benefit 760,000 households (3.9 million people) and indirectly support an additional 1.9 million households (9.5 million people). It focuses on climate-smart agriculture, improving agricultural infrastructure, and strengthening value chains.
Geoffrey Omolo, the Katakwi District Chairperson, emphasized the project’s significance in addressing key challenges.
“This initiative is timely as it seeks to improve livelihoods while addressing key challenges like road choke points and desilting dams,” he said. He added that in the 2025/26 financial year, the project plans to rehabilitate 20 kilometers of flood-affected roads.
However, Omolo pointed out critical hurdles, including understaffing, which hampers service delivery. “Our district operates at only 44% capacity, with critical sectors such as agriculture and environment severely under-resourced,” he noted.
Samuel Baker Opio, Katakwi’s Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, stressed the need for transparency to ensure the project’s success.
He highlighted a shortage of key personnel, including agricultural engineers and environmental officers, as a major challenge.
Opio emphasized that effective service delivery is essential for the project’s full execution in Katakwi.
Dr. Ariko Onyait, the District Veterinary Officer and focal point person for the project, revealed that Katakwi’s operational work plan allocated Shs 151 million, of which Shs 78 million has already been disbursed.
Current activities include verifying sub-counties, profiling farmer groups, conducting baseline surveys, institutional development, and addressing road choke points.
He also noted that more than 50 dams require desilting to address water challenges in the flood-prone Kyoga region.
Dr. John Ilukor, a World Bank economist, outlined the broader objectives of the UCSATP.
The project targets 69 districts nationwide, focusing on increasing agricultural productivity, enhancing value addition, and promoting resilience in selected value chains.
In the Teso region, the project will support citrus, mangoes, dairy, beef, and grass plantations.
Dr. Ilukor identified five key components of the UCSATP: improving climate-smart agricultural research, addressing environmental degradation, enhancing value chain linkages, responding to crises, and ensuring long-term sustainability.
“This initiative is designed to create long-term livelihoods and reduce poverty by restoring degraded areas and improving agricultural systems,” he said.
The UCSATP represents a significant step toward transforming Katakwi’s agricultural sector and building resilience to climate shocks.
With the right infrastructure, community engagement, and sustainable practices, the district is poised to achieve substantial economic growth and environmental restoration.