Eu uganda partnership 2013

Volume 06, 2013

EU and Uganda Official Publication of EU and Uganda Partnership

Coordinator JUSTIN K. OJANGOLE jojangole@haiagency.com Director Sales CHARLES OPOLOT copolot@haiagency.com Editorial & Photography PAUL MUGABI FRED MUSOKE Contributors Simon Kasyate collin makanga reint bakema Alastair taylory Beatrice arach Sales & Marketing CAROLINE NANTEGE KOSTA OPOLOT Design & Layout PETER MUGENI mugeni2010@gmail.com For further Information, Please contact; HAI Agency (U) Ltd. P.O. Box 24413 Kampala-Uganda JK Building behind Apex House Tel: 0414 223507 0772/0702 408915 website:www.haiagency.com Disclaimer: The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher does not guarantee the accuracy of content from contributors and advertisers nor accept responsibility of any statements herein.

02. Minister’s Foreword 04. Statement by HOD 06. Interview: HOD 14. Hon. Christine Amongin 16. KALIP & ALREP 36. ASARECA 42. SPGS 50. SBI 53. UNRA 61. Uganda Road Fund 64. DGAP 74. British Council 80. UNHCR 85. GIZ

80. ZOA 97. AAH 99. Wateraid 61. Swisscontact 64. EPA TAPSS

Cover Photo: President Yoweri Museveni, EU Commissioner Andri Piebalgs and Dr Roberto Ridolfi at the commissioning of EU funded Mbarara-Masaka Road.

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Minister’s Foreword

Cooperation between Uganda and the European Union (EU), which has lasted over three decades, is governed by the Cotonou Partnership Agreement signed between the ACP and EU Member States where Uganda has enjoyed grant financing. Under the partnership the financing modality has been via both general Budget Support and Project Support benefitting pri-

ority sectors namely: Infrastructure (Roads and Bridges), Health, Rural Development, Education, Trade and Good Governance.

The current 10th EDF financing totals Euro 490.5m over a period of six years.

The EU has been a model development partner in reforming Uganda’s Transport sector and continues to be very instrumental in the establishment of the Uganda National

Roads Authority and the Uganda Road Fund. The EU has spearhead the rehabilitation of the Northern Corridor route from which Uganda is realizing a significant reduction in travel time and related transport costs. Notable of these investments are: Kampala Northern Bypass with Bridges (29 Km); Jinja- Bugiri Road (72 Km); Masaka –Mbarara Road (151 Km); Aswa and Awoja bridge in Gulu and Soroti respectively;

re-gravelling District roads in Karamoja, Tororo, Jinja, Masaka, Wakiso, Mukono; and Mbarara- Ntungamo- Katuna Road (154KM) The support has built Uganda’s capacity in trade negotiations to benefit the private sector as a driver of growth; provided safe water and sanitation under the MDG initiative to cater for the growing population; supported the construction and retooling of 15 Nursing Schools and Laboratory Technicians’ Training Institutions around the country; and facilitated increased agricultural production and productivity. Commercial tree planting has been supported through the Ministry of Water and Environment.

Through key governance institutions and the civil society which are coordinated by both the Office of the Prime Minister and Ministry of Internal affairs, the EU has

helped strengthen mechanisms for democracy and social accountability as a corner stone for development. Over the years, the EU has contributed to the processes aimed at changing the lives of the people in Northern Uganda and Karamoja region, with the aim of stabilizing the region to create an environ-

The EU has been a model development partner in reforming Uganda’s Transport sector and continues to be very instrumental in the establishment of the Uganda National Roads Authority and the Uganda Road Fund.

ment where self-sustaining livelihoods can flourish.

The 11th EDF programming for the period 2014 -2020 is underway and support will be continued in the priority sectors. The funding will come with new global policies for development aid to effectively contribute to National Development Strategies.

I am grateful to EU for the continued support and cordial relationship with Uganda.

Further, I wish all the EU Member States and the EU on the whole another progressive year.

Hon. Maria Kiwanuka MINISTER OF FINANCE, PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/ NATIONAL AUTHORISING OFFICER FOR EDF

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To safe guard its values, EU needs strong partners like Uganda- Amb. Roberto Ridolfi “Europe Day – the anniversary of the Schuman Declaration - is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the EU’s achievements in promoting democracy, human rights, peace and prosperity on the European continent. For these efforts, the EU was awarded the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize. We see this great honour as a call, not only to commemorate our past achievements but also look forward to how we can take this work further in the future.

T

his is even more important in this 2013 essential for our special EU-Uganda relationships from “excellent” to even more…..

Even in today’s Europe, democracy is a constant work in progress; it needs to be valued and protected. We share a responsibility to safeguard democracy, not just on our own continent, but everywhere.

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Since 2009 the High Representative Cathy Ashton has led the European External Action Service (EEAS) to this purpose. In 2011 in the EU we have created a diplomatic service for the 21st century. I am honoured to be part of the first batch of appointments of Ambassadors from Lady Ashton.

Through its work, the EU is able to promote its values and interests around the world.

We have made human rights coupled with investments public and private, the silver thread that runs through EU foreign policy, assisting democratic transitions around the globe and helping oppressed minorities, social groups and NGOs to voice their concerns. In Uganda we continue to hold promising political dialogue with the government and we remain committed to continuing our funding to Government programmes, big infrastructure projects and non-state

actors whose mission is to grow democracy and fight corruption..

By adopting a comprehensive approach to global challenges, the EU is able to bring under one umbrella all elements of our external action – diplomatic, political, developmental, humanitarian aid, trade as well as military training. This allows us, like no other country or international organisation, to address all dimensions of a crisis and sow the seeds of deep democracy and prosperity. We are also tackling new challenges such as the freedom and security of cyber space, education, energy and water security and climate change.

In order to safeguard its values, the EU needs strong partners like Uganda. This is why we have strengthened the EU’s position at the UN and deepened our relationships with strategic partners and regional organisations. Our experience in forging compromise

Let us work together so that people around the world and specifically Uganda have the hope of one day achieving what we have in Europe: democracy, human rights and prosperity.”

among 27(soon 28) countries with distinct cultures and histories has been an important assent in working with key partners such as the African Union among many others. It also constitutes our strength in mediation such as the high-level work on Iran and the Balkans.

63 years ago Robert Schuman called on the nations of Europe to make war on the continent impossible and spread peace and prosperity globally. This is the work we must continue today.

Let us work together so that people around the world and specifically Uganda have the hope of one day achieving what we have in Europe: democracy, human rights and prosperity.”

This year is special as we are planning our relations for the next 7 years and it will witness a special EU citizen for one day: this is a great recognition and a great honour.

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Head of the Delegation reflects on EU-Uganda relations since 1975 Today is Europe Day. On the eve of this important Day, the H.E. Roberto Ridolfi the Head of the Delegation of the European Union in Uganda enlightened us on what makes the relations between EU and Uganda vibrant. Below are excepts

The European Union was formed around the 1950s what ideological drive informed relations with former colonies like Uganda?

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It was the Treaty of Rome in 1957 which first established a collective European development policy. The Treaty of Rome granted associated status to 31 overseas collectivities and territories (OCTs) and provided for the creation of a European Development Fund (EDF) intended to grant technical and financial assistance to the

countries which were still under European rule at the time. The accession of the United Kingdom to the European Community in 1973 meant that the Francophone focus of development policy was soon shifted to include the developing countries of the Commonwealth of Nations. This led to the effective creation of the ACP group by way of the Georgetown Agreement. The group came about as a result of a number of common interests, for instance sugar, but mainly because the Caribbean and Pacific contingent wanted to take advantage of the bargaining power of Africa, which was then quite considerable.

Reviewed and updated every five years, successive LomÊ Conventions represented the world’s largest financial and political framework for North-South cooperation until 2000 when it was replaced by the Cotonou Agreement. The Cotonou Agreement was signed by the then 15 Member States of the European Union (EU) and 79 ACP countries

and entered into force in 2003 and it has since been revised twice (2005 and 2010).

The Cotonou Agreement aimed at the reduction and eventual eradication of poverty while contributing to sustainable development and the gradual integration of ACP countries into the world economy. The Cotonou Agreement wishes to give a stronger political foundation to ACP-EU development cooperation and it is also concerned with the fight against impunity and promotion of good governance and

criminal justice. In Uganda that means that the EU (and its member states) have regular political dialogue with the Ugandan government and other Ugandan stakeholders.

EU and Uganda have had a long standing relationship since Independence in 1962, how did this relationship survive the political downturns that characterized Uganda in the 1970s and early 1980s?

Since 1975, Uganda and the EU (previously the European Community) have entertained

a solid and vibrant partnership. One example of the challenges encountered is the European Commission support to development initiatives in Karamoja which started in the late 1970s when the region suffered from a period of extreme famine. The then European Economic Communities (EEC) funded relief aid, later setting up a program enabling the construction of schools, health facilities, drilling of boreholes and other agricultural support.

EU Ambassadors with the Minister for Karamoja Affairs Hon. Janet Museveni after a meeting in Moroto.

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Although much of what was achieved in those early days was destroyed during the military coup and unrest of the mid 1980’s, the EEC continued its support to the region by setting up the Karamoja Development Authority (KDA) in 1987. The development activities undertaken by the KDA included road construction, support to agro-forestry, the desilting of dams and animal health schemes. In 1995 the KDA was replaced by the Karamoja Projects Implementation Unit (KPIU) which used a more bottom-up approach involving the communities and local authorities themselves. Alongside funding micro projects for schools, the creation of cattle markets and boreholes, the European Commission also supported peace-building initiatives such as the ‘Sports for Peace’ initiative, support to vulnerable groups and sponsored Karamojong students.

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Notwithstanding recurring periods of insecurity in Karamoja, the EC has stayed its course.

The EU’s motto for Karamoja is: No sustainable peace and security without economic development; and no sustainable development

without peace and security. To this end the EU has provided over €50 million in funding to Karamoja.

EU-Uganda development cooperation has been characterized by Trade and traditional Aid, has this strategy changed overtime?

The strategy has not changed.

The trade between Uganda and the EU increased by 14.5% from 832m Euros in 2010 to 953m Euros in 2011. The EU remains a key trading partner for Uganda representing 21.3% of its total trade in 2011.

The EU continues to promote Trade as a development tool which has a direct impact on growth, competitiveness, income generation, job creation and poverty reduction. This is the reason why the EU is negotiating an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with EAC which aims at making market access work (see further elaboration on the EPA under question 8).

The EU is deeply committed to supporting Uganda’s development, improving competitiveness, fostering regional integration and

ensuring market access to its biggest market.

The EU has a comparative advantage in assisting Trade development and a particular responsibility as the world’s largest trading power, the biggest trading partner of Least Developed Countries and the world’s largest provider of development assistance (including for trade-related programs).

10th European Development Funds, the European Commission committed over 439 million Euros (about 1400 billion UGX) to support Uganda’s development agenda in various sectors including roads infrastructure and agricultural sectors, in addition to the European Investment Bank financing 100 million Euros of the Bujagali Hydro power dam and 40 million Euros channelled through commercial banks to avail long-term financing to private investments in Uganda.

Looking into the future, we will continue working closely with the Ugandan Government and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives to ensure that Trade is truly put at the service of development in this beautiful country.

In Uganda, the EU has been a close partner of the Ministry of Trade for close to a decade now and we consider our cooperation to be deep and constructive. The EU not only extending development assistance to Uganda but continue to work with the government in addressing the key challenges affecting the business environment in Uganda (supply side constraints). For instance under the

Please remind us of the amount of Aid Uganda has received from the European Union over the last 50 years?

EU support to Uganda has been increasing over time with a total of €1028.9 Million being provided to Uganda between 1976 and 2007 and, since 2007 an additional €460.9 million is provided under the 10th EDF which runs from 2008-2013.

So EU support to Uganda amounts to a total of €1,5 billion to date with more planned for the 11th EDF funding cycle 2014-2020.

This makes us one of Uganda’s most important partners in development cooperation.

Uganda is one of the developing countries that signed the Lome Convention of the 1970s for trade cooperation with the European Union, how has this agreement benefitted Uganda or even the EU member states? See combined answer under question 8.

What has been the EU major interest for cooperation with Uganda since the 1950s; how has this cooperation faired over the years?

Over the years, EU - GoU country strategies

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have been centered on the objective of reducing and eventually eradicating poverty, consistent with the desire to achieve sustainable development and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). We believe our support has helped in this area but there is still work to be done.

A core priority the EU and Uganda shares is the need for good infrastructure for development. A solid road can be the determining L-R: Works and Transport Minister Eng. Abraham Byandala, EU Commissioner Andris Piebalgs and EU Head of Delegation Amb. Roberto Ridolfi during the ground breaking ceremony of the Mbarara-Ntungamo Road Project.

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factor for improving life and economic growth for people in rural communities. The EU has been, and will remain, one of the key development partners in this area in Uganda. The same is true for agriculture, with over 80 percent of Uganda’s land being fertile. Investing in agriculture is one of the most important ways to effectively reduce poverty in Uganda.

Infrastructure and agriculture have, in the past,

been the most prominent areas of cooperation for EU and Uganda and to a large extent these will remain the priorities. It is, however, important to look at new ways of using the limited grant funds available to attract, leverage and multiply the total investments in the country; most importantly by working with the private sector.

It is important to note that the Cotonou Agreement (see question 1) wishes to give a stronger political foundation to ACP-EU development cooperation. Therefore, political dialogue is one of the key aspects of the arrangements and addresses new issues which have previously been outside the scope of development cooperation, such as peace and security, arms trade and migration. Furthermore, the element of good governance has been included as an ‘essential element’ of the Cotonou Agreement, the violation of which may lead to the partial or complete suspension of development cooperation between the EU and the country in violation. A productive, open and respectful political dialogue and the element of good governance are areas of increasing importance when one talks of EU – Uganda cooperation in the future.

Uganda has developed from political and economic oblivion to now a visible state in the great lakes region; to what do you attribute this achievement?

I would like to pay special tribute to H.E. President Museveni for his political commitment to restoring peace and stability in So-

Africa Peace Facility to cover troop allowances, communication, medical costs, running costs of the mission’s offices, etc.

Africa Peace Facility funding for 2013 has been replenished by a further € 126 million.

EU Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs with President Museveni and Worksd Minister Abraham Byandals after commissioning Nothern Corridor Mbarara-Masaka section

The EU and Uganda also cooperate in training Somali soldiers to help build the so important security for the Somali people.

Uganda hosts the European Union Training Mission (EUTM) for Somalia where European advisers cooperate with UPDF to build new security forces for Somalia. EUTM recently delivered its third rotation of trained Somali soldiers to the Somali authorities in Mogadishu. This mission will have trained more than 3000 Somali soldiers by the end of 2012.

malia. Ugandan troops make up the most of the African Union peace-support operation AMISOM. The EU has provided important and continuous support to AMISOM since its start in 2007. More than € 400 million have so far been channelled through the EU’s

Without peace and security, growth and sustainable development are not possible, neither in Somalia nor in the entire Eastern Africa region. In the coming year, the EU will expand the anti-piracy work in the Horn of Africa, and take forward the Horn of Africa strategy.

Uganda also has a very important regional

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role to play in a potentially escalating conflict in the Eastern Congo, which needs a regionally facilitated diplomatic solution. President Museveni has so far had and will continue to have an important role to play.

Taking you through the Trade cooperation arrangements for the last three of so decades, from the Lome Convention in 1970s we saw the Everything But Arms Agreement (EBA) in 1990s and of recent we have been talking about the European Union Economic Partnership Agreement with the African Caribbean and Pacific Countries (ACP), is it a shift of goal post or a desire to “squeeze water out of the stone’’ for developing countries like Uganda??

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For the Commission, EPAs are a crucial part of the contribution that Europe must make to trade and development. The motive is simple and straightforward. It is to help ACP countries integrate in the global economy: it is not to win trade concessions for Europe. Yes, we see mutual advantages on both sides – not least our own long term interest in the eradication of poverty in developing countries for which there is an overwhelming moral as well as self interested justification. The objective is to achieve a gradual managed transition for

the ACPs including Uganda to eventual full participation in the global trading system on a basis that is properly tailored to their development needs. Development has pride of place.

The mindset with which Europe is carrying forward the EPA discussions is fundamentally different from traditional hard nosed trade negotiations.

The EPAs replace the previous market access regime for ACP countries which expired in 2007 and which was unable to help them diversify their economies, create jobs and contribute to their economic development. In fact, from 1975 until 2000, despite the very generous tariff preferences provided for by the Lomé and Cotonou Agreements, ACP countries’ share of EU imports declined from 7% to 3%.

Linking trade to development is about much more than market access. LDCs, like Uganda, already have full EU market access and significant flexibility to protect their own markets in comparison with other WTO members.

Signing an EPA is about making that market

access work. We need to address the reasons why over 30 years of trade preferences, including 12 years of full EU market access, has not been enough to stimulate development. ACP LDC trade has not diversified while productivity and economic growth lag behind other countries with less privileged market access, like Malaysia and Honduras.

To put things into perspective, as mentioned earlier, the EU remains a key trading partner for Uganda representing 21.3% of Uganda’s

total trade. In comparison, Uganda represents 0.03% of EU’s total trade’s (953Mio Eur out of

3,215,052Mio Eur in 2011).

What has been the European Union major areas of Contribution to Uganda social-economic transformation since 1960s.

As I explained when answering some of the other questions, EU assistance over the last 37 years has been provided to a number of sectors consistent with the Government’s priorities: Agriculture and Rural Development, Infrastructure, Private Sector Develop-

ment, Decentralization, Law and Order and Good Governance and Accountability. Much progress has been made in these areas along the way.

What should we expect of the Future of EU-Uganda Development Partnership and Cooperation in the next 10 years?

The future of the EU-Uganda partnership will contain a close political dialogue and cooperation with the Ugandan government as well as with Parliament, agencies and the civil society. Issues such as human rights, good governance, political space, corruption and regional security will be on the agenda. Both from a political dialogue perspective but also through the lens of our support for development in Uganda.

The EU’s Policy declaration of 2011 entitled ‘Increasing the impact of EU Development Policy: an Agenda for Change’ aims to do just that. It recognizes that, despite the huge achievements in poverty reduction, particularly in supporting achievement of the MDGs, severe poverty continues to blight countries

across the globe. Global shocks, both natural and manmade, have left many countries even more vulnerable. Population growth puts an increasing strain on infrastructures and systems that are already buckling under the pressure.

The objectives of development, democracy, human rights, good governance and security are intertwined and it is critical for societies to offer a future to young people. These two principles will be at the heart of our programming under the 11th European Development Fund.

Of course the EU is not merely a development partner – we are a political, economic and trading partner, and our policies from security to agriculture to environment – have a strong impact on developing countries. At the same time, difficult economic times make it even more critical that aid is spent effectively; getting the best possible results and leveraging further financing.

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Amuria, Katakwi in food selfsufficiency thanks to EU Support The Minister of State for Teso Affairs coordinates all development and political programmes in the Region, comprising of the Districts of Kaberamaido, Amuria, Katakwi, Soroti, Serere, Ngora, Kumi, Bukedea and Pallisa. In the 1980s, the Region suffered from rebel engineered insurgency and cattle rustling and later, the Kony rebellion which disrupted livelihoods and caused many deaths. The Minister also initiates, oversees and supervises Government programmes in the Region in a bid to ensure they benefit the common person. In this interview with Hon. Christine Amongin Aporu, the Minister gives us an insight into her office’s activities in keeping with the Government’s development agenda for the Region and the obligations of the National Resistance Movement Manifesto under President Yoweri Museveni.

What are the priorities of Teso Affairs Ministry over the last 18 months?

The Ministry has over the last 18 months drafted ‘Teso Development Plan’, a document that is now in advanced stages of preparation.

The plan will help to guide in the setting up of the goals and mission that should enable the people of Teso and Pallisa to benefit from Government programmes.

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So far, we have set up a Regional Coordination Office in Soroti Municipality, Plot 3 Bisina Road, for the monitoring of programmes

and a centre for gathering the views of the people. We have also developed and expanded restocking programme for Teso Region and Pallisa. The Ministry is charged with the responsibility of popularizing the Peace Recovery and Development Plan (PRDP) in the Region to ensure that the programme benefits the people.

Please mention your Ministry’s development partners.

The Ministry for Teso Affairs is working with various development partners, Non-Government Organizations and Community Based Organizations. Indeed, it is closely working with the European Union under the programme, Agricultural Livelihoods Recovery Programme (ALREP). Teso is benefit-

ting from Euro 20 million EU funding to PRDP.

Please mention the challenges faced by your Ministry in striving to uplift the lives of the poor among Iteso.

in place to sustain and bolster the development momentum engendered by EU-Uganda collaboration on Teso.

ALREP has been and remains very active in Teso Region in the Districts of Katakwi and Amuria implementing agribusiness, rural finance (village savings and loans) capacity building plans, dam desilting, providing ICT equipment and promoting education.

The limited resource envelope is the main challenge. The budget of my portfolio is so short of uplifting the lives of Iteso on a large scale, especially as the Ministry is still newonly two years in existance. I nonetheless look forward to its steadily growing and delivering, not like other special programmes in Northern Uganda (NU), Karamoja, Luwero and Rwenzori that have accumulated experience of delivering services to communities for 5 years and more.

The establishment of our Soroti office will facilitate ALREP programme for the benefit of the people of Teso. I am preparing a Cabinet Memo for a restocking programme as a Government programme. I am also sourcing for support further from donors like the EU, to support the fish-restocking of the lakes in the region that have been over-fished.

EU funds have also been used to open community roads that had not been in use for over 30 years; the roads help the common man to transport their produce to the market.

Precisely, ALREP has enabled the people to improve their lives and incomes.

The people of Amuria and Katakwi can now grow and have enough food because the oxen they acquired through ALREP have enabled them engage in food crops and vegetables cultivation at a much larger scale than was possibly in the past with the use of hand-hoe.

They have also been sensitized and now save some money from their household incomes.

Further, there are no other significant developmental partnerships funding besides the EU through ALREP, with a big enough capacity to impact on the lives of the people of Teso, although critics say by designating the Ministry ‘Teso Affairs’, it should cater for all ethnic Iteso including those in the Districts of Pallisa and Tororo who are otherwise outside the operation area.

Please mention the measures your Ministry has

What else would you like to say of EU-Uganda Partnership?

EU-Uganda partnership is making a significant impact especially by supporting the less privileged persons of Teso Region through ALREP in Amuria and Katakwi Districts.

I hope that the partnership will thrive and spread to other Districts.

On behalf of the Office of the Prime Minister and the people of Teso Region, I wish to thank the Head of Delegation of the European Union in Kampala for their support and I wish him and all EU member states in Uganda a Happy Europe Day celebration.

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KALIP

Karamoja Livelihoods Programme produces tangible results

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EU-funded Karamoja Livelihoods Programme (KALIP) is producing tangible results throughout Karamoja. More than 25,000 households are involved in agropastoral training, in upgrading their roads, dams and water ponds, and saving their hard-earned cash through Village Savings and Loan Associations. Across the Karamoja region, 33 sub county- and district production offices are under construction, and their staff receive transport, equipment and training to improve their services to the crop farmers and livestock keepers. To enhance security as a prerequisite to development, KALIP is also about to complete the construction of

that truly makes a difference in Karamoja.

7 police posts with accommodation, and has financed the training of hundreds of police officers in community policing.

The Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni, commissioned some of the buildings during her recent tour of Karamoja, and lauded KALIP as a programme

Conducive environment for development

Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni, Minister for Karamoja Affairs,

In the mid-2000s, after decades of insecurity and recurrent famine, the Government of Uganda restored law and order in Karamoja and created a conducive environment to put it on the path to peace and development. To complement the government’s effort in the development of Karamoja after the pacification, the

European Union approved Euro 15 million (UGX 51 billion) for a 5-year Karamoja Livelihoods Programme (KALIP).

KALIP is one of the special programmes of the Peace Recovery and Development Plan (PRDP) and has been aligned to the Karamoja Integrated Development Programme (KIDP) which is a component of PRDP designed to address the unique challenges of Karamoja.

KALIP’s aim is to further stabilize the region, and to support an environment where selfsustaining livelihoods can flourish. The focus of KALIP is to protect and enhance food security and incomes of the agro-pastoral communities of Karamoja.

KALIP plans to do this through a 4-pronged approach. Firstly, KALIP supports communities to build or rehabilitate water sources, feeder roads and gardens so that their agro-pastoral lifestyle is less prone to the possible Left: Pius Bigirimana, shocks of drought, flood and Permanet Secretary Office of the Prime Minister. disease. Secondly, the same communities are trained in appropriate crop and livestock husbandry techniques through enrolling

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Prime Minister through a Programme Management Unit (PMU) with offices in Moroto and Kampala. The PMU is responsible for the day-to-day management of the programme and is supervised by the Permanent Secretary. Political supervision is provided by the Minister for Karamoja Affairs.

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them in Agro-pastoral Field Schools (APFS).

Since livestock keeping is such an important economic activity in Karamoja, KALIP has a special focus on strengthening the provision of veterinary services through training and equipping Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs). Thirdly, KALIP supports the production departments of local government at the district and Sub County levels so that extension services to agro-pastoralists are readily available and professionally provided.

Fourthly, KALIP is working with the Uganda

With only 15 staff on the payroll, the KALIP PMU is making use of Implementing Partners to be able to reach as Dan Church Aid workshop many people as possible, who Police in Amudat. are spread out over such a huge Force and and difficult to access ter(UPF) to provide safety rain. For the implementation and security in seven of community-based activities, strategic locations spread KALIP has engaged three NGOs, across Karamoja such that all of which have a long developpeople can safely carry Emmanuel Iyamulemye Niyibigira, ALREP-KALIP National Programme ment history in Karamoja. In the out their agricultural and Coordinator northern districts of Kaabong and livestock keeping activities.

Kotido, KALIP in partnership Massive outreach with Mercy Corps works with 4,200 households to construct micro dams, KALIP is implemented by the Office of the

soil conserving gabions, boreholes, water troughs, grain stores and drying slabs. In addition, Mercy Corps has trained the beneficiaries in operations and maintenance of the infrastructure and in saving and wisely using part of the money earned from provision of

labour during construction of the infrastructures.

KALIP in partnership with The Arbeiter Samariter Bund (ASB) operates in central Karamoja (Abim, Napak and Moroto) and

has thus so far mobilised 3,000 households for dam and pond rehabilitation, rain-water roof harvesting systems, road construction, agriculture and energy conservation.

In the south (Amudat and Nakapiripirit),

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Dan Church Aid is constructing subsurface dams, ponds, rock catchments, and community access roads. It also plans to provide agricultural services to 600 manyattas, and plant 24 thousand trees. The estimated number of beneficiary households is 8,500.

The PMU has also engaged the Directorate of Water Development to excavate 21 valley tanks, three per district at strategic locations in Karamoja. The locations were identified and the designs completed in 2012. After sorting out some contractual challenges,

DWD will start the construction in July 2013.

Dam Construction in Kotido.

KALIP, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) executes a large Agro-Pastoral Field School (APFS)

programme with a focus on livestock and crop production, soil and water conservation and disaster risk reduction. Through 440 APFSs they expect to reach 13,200 households representing close to 80,000 individuals. The APFSs are at the heart of KALIP, because APFS beneficiaries receive the necessary agricultural and livestock husbandry skills, essential inputs, and market linkages, to put livestock and crop production at the heart of the economic recovery of Karamoja.

fices at district and sub county levels, and by making sure that these are fully equipped.

To support the gradual handover of the security mandate from the UPDF to the Uganda Police Force, KALIP is constructing seven police posts in hard-to-reach and

Capacity building of District Local Governments and the Police The District Local Governments are both implementing partners and beneficiaries of KALIP. The DLGs have been at the forefront during the design of the programme, and provide essential monitoring and supervisory services of the KALIP interventions in their districts. At the same time, and as part of their agricultural and livestock service delivery mandate, KALIP helps the DLGs to bring these services closer to the rural population.

This is done by constructing production of-

A technique for harvesting rain water from a rock.

insecure areas. KALIP also contributes to improving the relationship between police and the population by financing the training of police officers in community policing and in future, funding the sensitization of the community on their role in peaceful relationship with police to ensure sustainability of its interventions, KALIP involves the DLGs and communities in the design, implementation and monitoring of the activities. This process is strengthened by the PMU facilitating quarterly meetings between the implementing

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Facilitating the Police with transportation

partners and the DLGs, so that at the end all parties are fully satisfied with the accomplished works.

A mandatory element in all the construction activities is the establishment of community project management committees or water user committees. Their role is to ensure that the works are delivered according to the specifications, and to organise the operations and maintenance after the structures have been handed over.

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A new Police post in Amudat.

Agro-pastoral Field Schools have sustainability built in their design. The APFS intend to take the farmers to the next level of production by increasing their knowledge and exposure to new technologies, which can, and hopefully shall be applied even after the support is over.

Part of this exposure includes income generation and marketing, which is expected to kick-start the commercialisation of agriculture and livestock keeping in Karamoja.

The Future of KALIP In September 2014, KALIP will be closing down. The PMU is confident that by then all the activities outlined above will be completed. Implementation is in top gear and most works and NGOs are busy rolling out the full spectrum of their planned activities. The majority of infrastructure projects are nearing completion and some 8 handovers and 3 commissioning ceremonies have already taken place. Equally, all activities to build the capacity of local farmers and pastoralists have past half their implementation, and 2013

is expected to be the year when significant impacts will be expected in terms of food security and income generation.

By the end of 2014, KALIP will fully analyse the outcomes and impacts of the programme, but the preliminary findings are positive. A recently released report of an independent Mid Term Review notes that the programme is on the right track to achieve all its expected results by the close of the programme

implementation period in September 2014.

With the encouraging support of the technical, administrative and political leadership in the Office of the Prime Minister, the future of KALIP interventions in Karamoja looks very bright indeed.

Proud to be productive

National Programme Coordinator Office of the Prime Minister Postel Building 8th Floor, P. O. Box 341, Tel: +256(0) 414 258 372 Website:opm.nulep.org

Showing off their vegetables

ALREP and KALIP are the first EU funded projects in Uganda to go Carbon Neutral

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ALREP

Northern Uganda Livelihoods Recovery Programme Generates Substantial Results

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ince its inception in 2010, the Northern Uganda Agricultural Livelihoods Programme (ALREP) has changed the livelihoods

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of more than 100 thousand rural households in Acholi, Lango and Teso. ALREP’s wide range of interventions focuses on rural production and value addition. Households

are directly engaged in upgrading community access roads, markets, stores, water infrastructure, woodlots and cattle crushes, receive agricultural training, and are exposed to

Hon Minister of State for Northern Uganda U in Elegu laying foundation stone at border warehouse on May 4, 2011

traders and processors, and market information managers, all primarily at sub county level. And lastly, ALREP provides direct support to district production departments in 100 sub counties, to ensure that they can effectively deliver their services to the rural population.

ALREP is implemented by the Office of the Prime Minister through a Programme Management Unit (PMU) with offices in Gulu and Kampala.

The PMU is responsible for the day-to-day management of the programme. Supervised by the Permanent Secretary, it is partially mainstreamed in the OPM.

Above: Hon. Rebecca Amuge Otengo, Minister of State for Northern Uganda hands over motocycles to in Elegu and Gulu.

improved seeds and livestock. Benefitting households are saving their well-earned cash through Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA), some of which are assisted to connect to the formal banking sector.

To further strengthen the agricultural value chains, ALREP supports agricultural market information and agricultural trade

and processing by setting-up or strengthening hundreds of agro input shops, small scale

Political supervision and support is provided by the Ministers of State for Northern Uganda Rehabilitation, Hon. Rebecca Amuge Otengo and the Minister of State for Teso Affairs, Hon. Christine Amongin Aporu Helen, who have recently lauded ALREP as an effective programme that truly

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contributes to the reconstruction of Northern Uganda.

Conducive environment for development The presence of peace in Northern Uganda (NU) has seen the return of hundreds of thousands of IDPs

to their homes, who have begun the process of rebuilding their lives. The Government of Uganda, through the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan, has embarked on various programmes aimed at assisting returnees rebuild their lives.

26 A VSLA in action.

During the difficult years of the war and in the first phase of the recovery, the European Union stood next to the Government with humanitarian aid and development assistance. This long-lasting relationship was reaffirmed when in July 2010 the Government of Uganda and the European Union started the

â‚Ź20 million Northern Uganda Livelihoods Recovery Programme (ALREP).

ALREP, as part of the PRDP, complements ongoing activities of other stakeholders by restoring agricultural productivity, market linkages and services to farmers in the Acholi, Lango and Teso regions.

ALREP uses a 5-pronged approach to do this. First, ALREP supports agricultural production and productivity through enrolling communities in Farmer Field Schools where they receive training in appropriate crop and livestock husbandry techniques, and inputs such as oxen, ploughs and inproved seeds. The agriculturally more advanced communities in Lango receive support in form of improved seeds,

livestock and implements to advance the commercialization

of their agricultural activities. Secondly, the same communities participate in the rehabilitation of their productive infrastructure, such as roads and water ponds, through carrying out labour intensive works in their neighbourhoods, earning some cash in the process. In cases of rebuilding bigger productive infrastructure such as markets, boreholes, cattle crushes and stores, construction companies are contracted for the works.

Above: Commissioning of Koro Subcounty production office, Gulu.

Right: Farmer Field School participant tending to her tomatoes.

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Community access road under construction.

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The third approach looks into improving the efficiency and transparency of input and output markets and processing capacities, by providing support to small produce traders and processors.

The fourth is to increase the availability of agricultural finance to producers, traders and processors by providing financial literacy training to 600 VSLAs and other groups. The fifth approach

of ALREP is to build the capacity of production departments in Local Governments at district and sub county level for effective planning, service delivery, supervision and monitoring. The construction of office facilities, provision of equipment and training of staff is to ensure that support services to the farming community are readily available and professionally provided.

Productive Infrastructure With only 14 staff on the payroll, the ALREP PMU is making use of implementing partners and service providers to reach the highly dispersed farmers in Acholi, Lango and Teso. For the implementation of community based activities ALREP has engaged four NGOs, all with a long development history in northern Uganda.

In Acholi region, covering the districts of Gulu, Amuru and Nwoya, ACTED works with 10,800 community members to rehabilitate community roads, establish woodlots and construct markets and protected springs. They train the beneficiaries in operations and maintenance of the structures and in saving and wisely using their incomes.

AVSI operates in the Acholi districts of Lamwo, Kitgum, Pader and Agago, working with 1,200 community members. They are engaged in the renovation and upgrading of existing markets,

In the Acholi sub region, covering the districts of Gulu, Amuru and Nwoya, ACTED works with 10,800 community members to rehabilitate community roads, establish woodlots and construct markets and protected springs.

construction of grain/seed stores and granaries, desilting of ponds and dams, constructing shallow wells, installing treadle pumps, constructing cattle crushes, rehabilitating access roads, and construct cattle carts. They also conduct training in business skills and VSLA operations.

CESVI has been contracted for agri-

cultural support activities in Oyam, Kole, Apac, Alebtong, Otuke and Lira districts in Lango. It engages 21,000 community members in rehabilitation of productive assets such as community access roads, establishing tree nurseries and woodlots, construction and rehabilitation of water points and the construction of cattle crushes and sanitary facilities in local markets. CESVI also contributes to the improvement of livelihoods in Lango through the promotion of commercial agriculture.

This is done through the provision of improved livestock breeds as well as oxen and secondary implements such as ox-weeders and ox-planters and the necessary training on handling these.

Another activity is the training on new farming techniques and agriculture as a business.

Furthermore, CESVI is building the capacity of 9 producer associations and improve the services to utilization of existing produce/marketing stores.

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systems. As part of their activities ASB also introduced the Triple S System for sweet potato planting, which will contribute to household food

Above: A farmer with her groundnut crop ready to take to the market.

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The Arbeiter Samariter Bund (ASB) operates in Teso sub region, covering Amuria and Katakwi districts. ASB involves 26,000 community members in the construction of community access roads, rehabilitation of valley dams and the construction of water roof catchment

A trader shows his produce.

security and increase household income.

Last but not least, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) executes with funds from ALREP a massive Farmer Field School (FFS) programme.

With a focus on livestock and crop production, supplemented by the establishment of a rural market information system and capacity building of VSLAs, to improve the capacity of households to invest, the FFSs are at the heart of ALREP. Through 960 FFS ALREP has reached over 28,000 rural households with agricultural training, improved seeds and livestock and oxen, and advice on how to penetrate the markets. That way, ALREP

A community mobilization meeting.

has put livestock and crop production at the heart of the economic recovery of northern Uganda.

Agro Business and Agro Finance The fundamental idea behind ALREP is that alongside direct support to farmers to enhance their production, productivity and

income, other essential agricultural services should be strengthened as well. To provide a conducive environment for agricultural production, ALREP also supports more than

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300 Information Board Managers to display updated commodity prices in all benefitting sub counties, and one radio station in each sub region to broadcast agricultural related radio shows. Selected input dealers are supHandover of equipment to FAO-FFS (Atanga sc, Pader)

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ported through trainings and shop improvements and output dealers as well as processors can apply for matching grants to upgrade their enterprises.

In terms of support to agro finance, ALREP stays close to the farmers, by providing established village savings and loans associations with financial literacy training, and by linking mature VSLAs to banks.

The latter works in two ways: on one hand, VSLAs are taught how to access formal banking services, while the bank employees are taught how to provide meaningful services to first-time rural clients.

county level and ensuring the functionality of these offices. Training of staff and the provision of logistics such as motorbikes are other capacity building interventions.

Capacity building of District Local Governments

In September 2014, ALREP will come to an end. Implementation is currently in top gear and most contractors are busy rolling out the full spectrum of their activities.

The District Local Governments are both implementing partners and beneficiaries of ALREP. The Production Departments of the DLGs have been crucial during the design of the programme, and continue to provide the necessary monitoring and supervision of ALREP interventions in their districts. At the same time, and as part of their agricultural and livestock service delivery mandate, ALREP builds the capacity of the DLG Production Departments enabling them to deliver quality services to the rural population.

Capacity building is done by constructing production offices at district- and sub

Future of ALREP

In September 2014, ALREP will come to an end. Implementation is currently in top gear and most contractors are busy rolling out the full spectrum of their activities.

All activities to build the capacity of local farmers as well as to improve the performance of the agro business and agro finance sectors are over halfway implementation. Significant impacts will be expected in terms of food security and income generation during 2013 and beyond.

ALREP will fully analyse the outcomes and impacts of the programme by the end of 2014. However, preliminary findings are positive. A recently conducted independent Mid Term Review notes that the programme is on the right track to achieve all its expected results by the end of the implementation period.

With the encouraging support of the technical, administrative and political leadership in the Office of the Prime Minister, the future of ALREP and the possibility of future EU-funded programmes contributing to the development of Northern Uganda, looks very bright indeed.

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Katakwi and Amuria districts get 15 motorcycles as construction of EU-funded ALREP projects kick off The Minister of State for Teso Affairs, Ms Christine Amongin Aporu recently officiated at the handover of 15 motorcycles worth 128,772, 000 Uganda shillings and laid the foundation stone for the construction of production offices worth 767,410,625 Uganda shillings in the districts of Katakwi and Amuria.

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he motorcycles and the construction effort are funded by the EU under the Northern Uganda Agricultural Livelihood Recovery Program (ALREP).

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The motorcycles are intended to support the technical staff in carrying out service delivery in the two districts. They will be used by the production staff at the sub-county levels, District Focal Point Officers and Clerks of Works. Minister Aporu advised those that will be using the

motorcycles to take good care of them and only use them for official work.

The laying of a foundation stone

by Minister Aporu marked the start of the construction of production offices and other infrastructure supported by ALREP, including the construction of Asamuk Sub County production office, production offices at Ngariam and Kapujan Sub Counties in Katakwi as well as the Wera Sub County production office. Minister Aporu said ALREP will construct markets and cattle crushes.

“These infrastructures, “said Minister Aporu, “are important for the improving food security and improved household incomes in the two districts which also experienced insecurity and destruction for several years.”

She said that all these actions demonstrate the Government’s commitment to work with partners such as the EU to improve the lives of the people of Teso sub region.

“We hope that with improved capacity of the districts, the technical staff will carry out the requisite functions of service delivery to people,” said Minister Amongin Aporu “As you are aware, ALREP is one of special programmes of the Peace Recovery and Development Plan (PRDP) under the Office of the Prime Minister. ALREP is funded by the European Union to the tune

of 20 million Euros. I therefore request you to join me to thank European Union for this support,” she said.

ALREP and other PRDP projects like NUSAF2 are meant to improve livelihoods for the people of Teso region. Government will continue to work with other development partners to ensure development of Teso Sub region.

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Ugandan agriculture drawing benefits from regionally coordinated efforts

For

over 10 years now, Ugandan scientists have partnered with colleagues in 10 other countries in Eastern and Central Africa (ECA) to develop and disseminate technologies and innovations that address common challenges to agriculture, which challenges would have been difficult to address by individual country initiatives.

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The Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) has been spearheading this collaboration among the scientists. Established in 1994, ASARECA works in 11countries: Uganda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mada-

gascar, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan and Tanzania. The ASARECA headquarters are in Entebbe, Uganda.

benefited a lot from collaborative initiatives to address the challenges, some of which are highlighted below:

Over the last five years alone, ASARECA has invested US$69 million in Eastern and Central Africa to address challenges such as climate change, pests and diseases, declining soil fertility, diminishing natural resources, restrictive agricultural policies, access to regional markets and low agricultural productivity, among others. The European Union is the leading development partner that has provided ASARECA financial and technical support to address these challenges, which are affecting our people. Being one of the ASARECA member countries, Uganda,

Promoting Quality Protein maize ASARECA and partners have rapidly scaledup the use of Quality Protein Maize (QPM) in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and DR Congo.

In Uganda, these efforts have been piloted in the districts of Lira and Gulu where acute malnutrition was reported following the 20 plus years of LRA insurgency. Farmers have adopted the varieties and are producing QPM grain for nutrition and for income. It is estimated that about 30% of children in SubSaharan Africa suffer from protein-energy

A couple takes a look at a good QPM harvest in northern Uganda .

malnutrition. The majority of people consume insufficient amounts of protein because foods that are rich in protein such as milk, meat, fish, eggs, beans are relatively expensive compared to staple foods like maize. QPM is providing hope to alleviate this situation. It is an improved variety of maize which contains 70-100% more lysine and building blocks of proteins than normal maize varieties.

Outscaling OFSP, the darling potato ASARECA and partners are outscaling the adoption of Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda. In Uganda, OFSP has been adopted in a number of sub-counties in Gulu district. ASARECA has empowered farmers in Gulu to produce and sell value added products such as cakes, doughnuts, mandazi, chapattis, biscuits, chips, crisps and juice and porridge made out of OFSP flour.

OFSP potatoes are a healthy and cheaper source of vitamin A for children and breast feeding mothers compared to relatively

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expensive sources such as fish, liver, milk and eggs. Vitamin A deficiency reduces disease resistance, impairs growth, increases mortality and can lead to blindness.

Livestock and crops—the excellent mix

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ASARECA and the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) are promoting the use of smallholder crop-livestock innovations to improve efficiency and the quality of production to boost food security and income for farmers in Uganda and other countries. In addition, ASARECA is promoting land and water management technologies and practices. The innovations include rain water harvesting to facilitate year-round vegetable production, and drip

Above: A woman zero grassing a cross breed in Masaka district.

irrigation innovations and application of compost manure.

Right: Rain water harvesting tank at the Ddakis in Masaka.

Besides, ASARECA is encouraging farmers to diversify livestock feeding using fodder such as Gliricidia, Calliandra, and Sesbania. For example, a number of farmers in Masaka and Ngora district are earning income, and their household

nutrition has improved because of these innovations. One farmer in Masaka district, Mr. Peter Ddaki, testifies to the benefits of this work. “I get about 41 litres of milk daily from my three dairy cows. We keep six litres for home consumption and sell about 35 litres daily. This gives us about Ushs 35,000 (US$15) in daily income and about Ushs 1 million ($430) monthly, “say Ddaki.

CRRI) to produce an information resource kit to control the spread of the disease. The kit was launched recently by the Agriculture Minister, Tress Buchanayandi. CBSD is a devastating disease of the cassava crop which is spreading fast in Eastern and Central Africa, including Uganda. It causes serious reduction to cassava harvest and in some cases total crop loss.

Fighting cassava’s top enemy, Cassava Brown Streak Disease Efforts to increase the productivity of cassava, the number two staple crop in Africa, have received a boost over the recent years following the release of information materials to control the spread of Cassava Brown Streak Disease (CBSD), the worst constraint to the production of cassava. As part of regional efforts bringing together researchers from Uganda, DR Congo, Madagascar, Rwanda and Tanzania, ASARECA worked with NARO through the Crop Resources Research Institute (Na-

Above: Root totally damaged by CBSD Right: Improved cassava varieties.

Giving cassava, potato passports and visas to move Besides, fighting the cassava diseases, opportunities for farmers in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda are set to expand following the approval of 11 rationalised and harmonized standards for cassava and sweet potato by the East African Community.

This means that cassava products meeting the standards can now be traded freely in the four countries, hence fetching premium prices.

ASARECA in collaboration with the governments of the four countries, the private sector

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and standards institutions started developing the standards in 2006 to allow the inclusion of cassava and potato products in the production of high value industrial products such as confectionery and animal feeds and promote trade in cassava and potato products. ASARECA particularly worked with the Uganda Bureau of Standards to start off the process of developing the standards from scratch.

Harmonised seed policies begin to bear fruit

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ASARECA has worked closely with the governments in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda Burundi, DR Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Madagascar and Sudan to rationalize and harmonize regulatory and legal frameworks for the seed industry in the region. The efforts are already bearing fruit.

Local seed production in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania has tripled from 43,000 to about 122,000 tonnes between 2002 and 2008. In Uganda and Kenya, exports increased from less 1,000 to more than 3,000 tonnes in the

same period. Private sector involvement in variety breeding and release has increased the number of high performing seed varieties on the market.

Subduing Striga, the enemy of sorghum Four newly released varieties of sorghum that are resistant to Striga, a stubborn parasitic weed that has for years undermined sorghum yields in Uganda and other countries in the region, are being tested in Uganda and Kenya. The varieties are showing very high promise in Uganda even before adaptability tests. Striga has the capacity to destroy up to 100% of the potential yield of sorghum, millet and other serials. But this will be no more following the recent release of these varieties by ASARECA and the Agricultural Research Corporation (ARC) of Sudan in a research in which Ugandan scientists formed part of the collaborative research. “These highlights are just a few of the many activities that ASARECA is supporting in

Striga resistant sorghum varieties in Sudan

Striga, the witch weed

Uganda. ASARECA joins the European Union in celebrating the Europe-Uganda partnership and pledges continued support to researchers in applying science and technology to transform the agricultural sector in eastern and central Africa. “ For more information about ASARECA supported activities, please visit www.asareca.org 41

Uganda set to reap big from private commercial forestry investments with EU support Sawlog Production Grant Scheme (SPGS) is a successful rural development focused public- private partnership initiative of the Government of Uganda funded by the European Union, and the Governments of Norway and Uganda. SPGS operates under the Ministry of Water and Environment with its core business being retrospective subsidy grants to private forestry investors, provision of forestry technical support to public, private and community planters plus capacity building and training for research and development

The

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initiative, which started in 2004 with the current phase scheduled to run until December 2013, is funded by the European Union, Governments of Norway and Uganda. SPGS targets to have established 40,000 hectares by 2013 of commercial forestry plantations in Uganda with over 500 supported private sector investors. 95% of these

Hon. Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu, Minister of Water and Environment.

are small and medium scale entrepreneurs. So far SPGS project has planted 34,000ha across Uganda excluding 1,200ha which have been planted by rural community groups. SPGS is tackling head-on the massive looming timber crisis in Uganda and at the same time is addressing key development goals – notably, rural poverty, mitigating and adapting to climate change and biodiversity conservation by taking the pressure off natural forests to supply all needed timber from planted forests.

Tree types, acreage and marketing

By December 2013, a Geographical Information System (GIS) to determine the available commercial forest in Uganda will be in place. By the end of this year, SPGS will have contributed 40,000 hectares to the national plantation forestry stock . NFA has planted around 10’000 hectares and NGOs together with individuals have planted 5000 hactares. However, planted forests are still far from the 150’000 hectares estimated national need for commercial plantation forest.

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riginally, says Sande Bueno Dickens the SPGS-Uganda Programme Manager, the fast growing yet quality Pine tree was chosen as the backbone for commercial forestry in Uganda. “SPGS has over time however had some adaptive research involving other species like Clonal Eucalyptus that grows pretty fast and is suitable for timber when well managed. A number of other species have also been planted: Terminalia species, Araucaria cunninghamiana, Markhamia lutea, Maesopsis eminii and Mahogany

species too are doing quite well,” he says.

been observed to thrive in low-land areas.

One major output of SPGS is support Prunus africana is to the establishment of Uganda Tree a natural forest tree Growers’ Association (UTGA) to facilispecies highly valtate direct interaction with the Private ued for its medicisector investors in forestry, considering nal properties. It’s that SPGS core business is setting stana major ingredient dards, high level training and grants fain the treatment Bueno Dickens Sande, SPGS Project Manager. cilitation. SPGS works closely with UTGA of prostate cancer. to handle marketing, by first understanding It thrives mainly in the dynamics of the local market.

Bwindi forest and Mt Elgon, but has also

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Understanding the drivers of SPGS By subsidizing Uganda’s Sawlog (timber) Production Grant Scheme operations, the European Union has set an exceptionally effective incentive example and a pragmatic approach to commercial tree planting in Uganda. I am sure other countries may need to follow suit.

T

he EU’s commitment to subsidizing commercial forestry was bold, yet a risky one deserving appreciation and congratulations—its impact is vivid in a country where

skepticism was ingrained and the concept deemed unpractical.

“The EU’s funding of incentives to create standards is a unique development among many development partners who are hesitant to invest in forestry. I urge all other partners to adopt this model to encourage sustained forestry investments in Uganda,” says Sande Bueno Dickens, a Forestry Specialist—the SPGS Project Manager.

Sande confesses to feeling natural in forestry; he has worked with ICRAF, NARO under the Forestry Resources Research Institute (FORRI) and then FAO of the United Nations before

joining SPGS 6 months ago. He manages SPGS portfolio, a project that handles over EURO14m in 18 months and coordinates commercial tree planting activities among 497 grant beneficiaries throughout Uganda, excluding woodlot and community beneficiaries.

The SPGS principal objective is to promote timber sawlogs production from commercial plantations, rather than decimating natural forests. “It is a shrewd concept born out of the natural forestry conservation policy, i.e.

Government’s prudent policy to have tree products and services sourced outside natural forests,” Sande explains. As such, SPGS’s promotion of commercial forestry represents the most successfully delivered tangible results in a short time to date. This success needs

“We hope and pray that since we have performed successfully and our need still exists, we shall be supported under EDF 1 in a larger and better form.” The SPGS model could be expanded to other ENR sectors where performance has been queried for a long time”

even more dedicated support; the EU knows that there is opportunity to do even better in this regard.

Sande further appeals to the EU, “Do not lose heart; and do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good”—you may want it perfect, yet we are not there, but have done something good to be proud of. Never get tired of doing well—priorities could change, but where there is a will, there should be a way.” “We hope and pray that since we have performed successfully and our need still

exists, we shall be supported under EDF 11 in a larger and better form.” The SPGS model could be expanded to other ENR sectors where performance has been queried for a long time.

Despite several challenges in the past, Sande says “SPGS-Uganda looks forward to doing better especially after finalizing on delivery systems, strengthening staff, acquiring equipment as the public is now more knowledgeable of SPGs functions and focus on standards.”

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Infancy challenges to Uganda’s commercial forestry

U

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ganda’s commercial tree-planting programme is fledgling and fraught with challenges. Outstanding among them is SPGS’ requirement of 25 hectares as the minimum land suitable for commercial tree plantations tagged to a retrospective grant payment. Given that private sector in the forestry has been at its lowest traditionally, gaining desired momentum takes time and needs a lot of patience

Whereas the funding has been generous, it could not meet the available demand of the prospective planters; and yet because some applicants could not meet the standards, the resultant balances revert to the EU which reflects negatively and is a big disadvantage. But admittedly, there has also been a mismatch between planning and implementing in the past. All these will be resolved in the next phase, once granted since key lessons have been learned

SPGS-Uganda Project Manager has identified another hindrance to effective product delivery, as lack of right and correct tree seed and planting materials suitable for commercial forestry and hence the costly imports, challenging this private sector oriented programme.

SPGS current staffing level is 25 individuals of whom only 10 are technical staff running the country, nursing more than 4 million trees that need to be attended to, representing a daunting challenge.

It is data from South Africa and other countries that formed the basis of SPGS project design, yet because of high moisture content and soil fertility in Uganda, plantation weeding is done seven times rather than three in the harsh conditions of South Africa, hence the cost is much higher. However, the trees mature much faster than the South African hence while Uganda harvests Pine after 18years, South Africa harvests after 25years.

Right now, the urgent need is eliminating the painful “thinning to waste” for our clients.

SPGS is attending to the lessons learned from commercial forestry practices in partnership with Makerere University, National Forestry Authority and National Forestry Resources Research Institute (NAFORRI). Under this partnership, we plan to utilize the thinnings using appropriate ‘finger-jointing’ technology to which SPGS has dedicated a fund for research and development.

To find out more about SPGS, please visit our informative (and frequently updated) website www.sawlog.ug Email us at info@ sawlog.ug or visit our office on Plot 92 Luthuli Avenue, Bugolobi, Kampala, Tel: 0312 265332/3.

Improve marketing end of the timber trade

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he returns on an investment in forestry are among the highest of any economic activity— the trees grow in value while the value of the land also increases unlike most other investment where you have depreciation, says Patrick Kabahanga Mbonye, a tree planter.

He says most private commercial tree planters, including him, made their start after getting technical and financial help from the Saw-log Production Grant Scheme (SPGS) thanks to financing from the EU. “We now know the benefits of using good seed and the impact of poor husbandry on our plantations. Proper and timely weeding, pruning and thinning all contribute the quality of a fine end product,” Mbonye elaborates.

Mbonye, whose target is having a 1000hactare plantation in five years, however says that the marketing end also has to be addressed. He notes that it is meaningless to expand

We now know the benefits of using good seed and the impact of poor husbandry on our plantations. Proper and timely weeding, pruning and thinning all contribute the quality of a fine end product,” Mbonye elaborates.

acreage when the market does not recognize the differences in the quality timber—it does not make sense to invest in quality to which the market is not responsive.”

Through SPGS, Mbonye visited a South Africa family that turned a failed maize crop on 400hactares into forestry 20yrs ago.

They now have 4000hactares of pine, own a saw-mill, have out growers, produce charcoal, timber, and furniture and invest the profits into real estate.

Mbonye started with his mother by planting 5hactares of eucalyptus trees in Mpigi district that expanded into 35hactares of pine.

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Initially derided, Masiko is a fulfilled planter

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ugustine Masiko Kagonyera, a 62year retired Health Economist from Kisiizi in Western Uganda recalls his earlier misgiving of becoming a commercial forest farmer, an undertaking that takes long to realize the benefits and is somewhat costly.

Fortunately, he was finally convinced and planted his first 15 acres which he harvested in 2010.

When Masiko Kagonyera retired from Kisiizi Hospital, he bought land and planted Pine trees and soon teamed with his wife to lease 20 hactares from NFA at Mahuga Forest that had been harvested to decimation between 1998 and 2000.

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“I tell you I got money that I had never earned

Support from from Sawlog Production Grant Scheme (SPGS), which has been assisting commercial forest planters in Uganda to set up commercially viable acreages since 2006, was instrumental in getting him started.

before in my entire life,� he says. Support from Sawlog Production Grant Scheme (SPGS), which has been assisting commercial forest planters in Uganda to set up commercially viable acreages since 2006, was

instrumental in getting him started. He says SPGS helped in training on how to look after the trees, getting certified seeds, and support for planting, weeding and thinning.

SPGS through Uganda Tree Growers Association have certified seed beds throughout the country from which planters are encouraged to buy seedlings because their trained operators apply best practices including having genuine seeds and using the correct type of soil.

Looking towards harvesting more trees in the near future, Kagonyera is smiling all the way to the bank and is happily satisfied in his new post -retirement calling of commercially farming trees.

The health nutritionist whose love is trees

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hen Dr Henry Wamani traveled to Norway in 2000, his intention was to study Public Health Nutrition. However, he soon fell in love with tree farming for which Norway is world famous.

“I initially planted for environmental reasons, after all trees were doing well in truly poor Norwegian physical conditions compared to our fertile soils,” he says “I had planted my first seedling in 2004 and then I saw an SPGS advert inviting planters in 2005, and found that they had had a grant scheme to which I applied for a bridging fund and became a beneficiary,” Dr Wamani recalls.

He got another SPGS grant and again planted in 2006 with UShs 600,000 subsidy per planted hectare in three installments. From the initial 38 hectares, he

“I initially planted for environmental reasons, after all trees were doing well in truly poor Norwegian physical conditions compared to our fertile soils,” Wamani says

planted 50 more hectares and is now planting an extra 40 hectares.

“The results are not only locally visible but Google has mapped out our forests—the accountability is obvious. My goals have also shifted—I now see much of the commercial element, although the investment is not mean.

“I initially imagined trees would simply flourish but when planted—it is not a joking subject; it is costly, you have to sweat and must listen to existing planters to understand and appreciate forestry,” he says. But the good news is that it is a very lucrative undertaking, he adds with a smile

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SBI boss commends road-sector development partnerships Uganda has in the last decade invested more than US$2.0bn in the road-sector infrastructure development, most of it in the last five years, which indicates the priority that the government is attaching on improving the road sector says Engineer Shay Cameo, SBI-Uganda Managing Director

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ccording to Eng Cameo Uganda’s partnerships with the European Union, the World Bank, African Development Bank and other development partners have augmented Ugandan taxpayers’ efforts and contributed to the development of the country, which is a good sign for the country’s development. .

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The skills and experience adopted from abroad and locally implemented, should enable the upgrading of major gravel highways and

the double surfaced dressing roads to asphalt ones with a Dense Bitumen Macadam and wearing course structures that with good maintenance will easily last 20 years.

“Through this approach, within a few years, mega-highway projects will be maintained by private companies and kept in such a good condition that motorists will be proud to drive along them,” says Engineer Cameo.

SBI has been in Uganda since 2001 and its sister company RCC since 2004. RCC has executed

EU-funded projects of Kagamba-Rukungiri 34.5km in 2004- 2006 (EURO17m); JinjaBugiri 72km with 12km dual carriageway 2007-2010 (EURO65m); Masaka- Mbarara 155km in 2008-2011 (EURO 80m) and now Mbarara-Katuna lot 2 and 3 124 km in 2011-2014 (EURO115m). They constitute parts of the Northern Corridor Route connecting the sea-port of Mombasa in Kenya to Congo, Rwanda and Sudan through Uganda.

“Both Companies’ policy is based on the vision of sustainability, delivering quality in

SBI has now proposed to Uganda that the fasttrack reconstruction of Bugiri-Busia Road could be replicated to Kampala-Jinja roadresurfacing, taking advantage of the equipment already in the country with the company, without spending a lot of money.

due time, emphasize team-work, transparency and good working environment for the workers and caring about the community,” says Engineer Cameo. He adds that “the company wins contracts on merit derived from good quality and competitive pricing, the key parameters influencing the contracting authority’s award decision.”

Road users and the cargo haulers along the northern corridor ferrying containers, say to Kisoro can no longer charge US$10,000 driven by the fear of losing their trucks on a

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dards; it can change the life style and it can be done here in Uganda—first through infrastructure and energy.”

bad road as the current cost is considerably lower—between US$2,000 and US$3,000.

The customers of the cargo haulers now finally have a reason to smile.

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Cameo, on behalf of SBI is grateful to the EU for their contribution to developing Uganda, “The EU-Uganda partnership is part of the EU belief in the integration of the financial power endowed to Europe and the African resources. This can build a powerful and clean Africa with better living stan-

He says that, Israel from which SBI traces its roots has just celebrated her 65th anniversary of nationhood, within which the country has transformed from desert and swamp into a prosperous country with technology and knowledge any country in the world can be proud of. It is also possible Uganda can develop from its existing condition and invest in the right areas; the country has the resources to develop, benefit from and to produce more.

He stresses that Uganda’s Government is not under obligation to award contracts to RCC. The company wins on merit since, “people are satisfied with the work we do, we are

renown financially which is very important as the client sometimes faces cash-flow issues yet we have the financial strength to continue with work regardless of delayed payments.”

SBI has now proposed to Uganda that the fast-track reconstruction of Bugiri-Busia Road could be replicated to Kampala-Jinja road resurfacing, taking advantage of the equipment already in the country with the company, without spending a lot of money.

Eng. Shay Cameo says, road construction is challenging, so is construction through mountainous areas and swamps besides keeping various equipment safe and in good working condition, guarding against fuel thefts and loss of road signs.

Whereas the implementing the company policy of protecting and preserving the environment where work is carried outisforemost, taking care of the communities in operation areas, and delivering on the expectation of the companyshareholders are not an easy task.

UGANDA NATIONAL ROADS AUTHORITY

EU support to Uganda road sector, past and present

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transport infrastructure is crucial to the attainment of the national policy objective of a strong private sector-led growth contribution to economic development and poverty reduction.

Uganda relies on its road network for the movement of over 95% of its goods and passenger traffic hence, a sound road

In 1986, the Government initiated a rehabilitation program to revitalise the essential elements of the economy, and thus prioritized attention to the transport sector especially roads, due to their strong bearing on rural production hence poverty reduction—resulting in significant improvements for the poor in their access to the basic services.

ganda and the EU have since the 1970s had a fruitful collaboration in the roads subsector, especially over the last 23 years when new roads have been constructed, existing links rehabilitated and the roads sub-sector institutions reformed. The Government is grateful and looks forward to future cooperation to revitalise the transport sector.

President Yoweri Museveni and EU Commissioner Andris Piebalgs, at Mbarara-Ntungamo ground breaking.

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UGANDA NATIONAL ROADS AUTHORITY

Uganda government policy for accelerated development and consolidation of national unity has been focused on improved transport and communication infrastructure.

“The Road Sector Development Program (RSDP)” thus focuses on providing a safe and efficient road network by removing the existing major transport flow constraints, with emphasis on the classified road network over the program period.

Initially estimated at US$1.5bn, the programme is co-financed by Uganda, and her development partners inclusive of the European Union (EU), African Development Bank (ADB), International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank, and Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA).

Others are Kreditan fur Wiederaufbau (KWF), Nordic Development Fund (NDF), Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Norwegian Agency for Development (NORAD), IRC (Ireland), and Depart-

ment for International Development of UK (DFID) etc.

The European Union has provided significant support to the Road Sector in Uganda under the European Development Fund (EDF).

The EU has provided substantial support towards improving our road system in line with the Poverty Eradication Action Plan

(PEAP), underlining the need to improve road transport infrastructure to boost production, incomes and competitiveness by linking producers to their markets and facilitating market integration.

Uganda’s road network maintenance was until recently largely funded by the Government of Uganda while development funding was undertaken by the Development Partners;

Left: Fast freight and passenger transportation for acclerated commercial and economic transactions.

Below: Dr Roberto Ridolf, EU Ambassador to Uganda, with counterpart from Rwanda

Grant Technical Assistance to Road Agency Formation Unit (now UNRA) Construction of Kampala Bypass Strengthening of the Northern Corridor: Malaba Border Post and Jinja-Bugiri Backlog Maintenance Programme Reconstruction of Masaka-Mbarara Post Floods: Rehabilitation of Roads and Bridges in North and North Eastern Uganda Strengthening of the Northern Corridor: Mbarara-NtungamoKabale-Katuna Technical Assistance to UNRA Katuna-Border Post and demonstration weighbridge (under consideration) Dualling of Kampala Northern Bypass (Under Consideration) Total

the European Union, World Bank, African Development Bank, Nordic Development Fund and Danida. During the FY 2008/09, Government allocated US$600m for a threeyear time slice on road sector development projects.

Amount (â‚Ź Million) 3.00 52.5 69.20 15.00 117.00 (increase from 92) 3.25 122.00 2.23 4.00 40.00 428.18

EU past support The European Union has provided over â‚Ź428m to the Government of Uganda for the roads sub-sector through grants, since the formulation of the Road Sector Development Program in 1996.

UGANDA NATIONAL ROADS AUTHORITY

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EU funded programs impact on national development 56

UGANDA NATIONAL ROADS AUTHORITY

The

European Union has extended Technical Assistance to the Roads Agency Formation Unit (now UNRA) to strengthen the institutional capacity in the roads sector. A Service Contract for a period of three years in this respect

commenced on February 15, 2010 providing for a Planning and Maintenance Engineer, Commercial Management Advisor, Senior Project Engineer and a Project Engineer to provide long term support. There is also a provision for short term inputs focussing on UNRA’s immediate support requirements.

UNRA’s Director for Planning, Eng David Luyimbazi says, foremost EU support went to the provision of managerial assistance to the Road Agency Formation Unit as it transited to an autonomous Authority—the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) now in operation for nearly five years.

President Museveni and EU Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs commission Mbarara-Masaka Rd.

Kampala Northern Bypass The EU has also given Uganda a hand in the construction of Kampala Northern Bypass that would: • Relieve the congestion in the City, • Reduce travel time and vehicle operation costs for local and through traffic, • Protect the City roads from damage by heavy trucks, • Provide a distributor for the Northern suburbs and to redistribute population and economic activities to the northern parts of Kampala.

The Kampala Northern Bypass Project consisted of the construction of 17km single and 3.5km dual carriageway, 9 major road junctions, 9 major bridges and 1 pedestrian foot bridge. The other works were drain construction, installation of road furniture, and ancillary works, and environmental works.

All major works were completed and the road was opened to traffic on 1 October 2009.

The EU will also contribute towards the funding of dualing Kampala Northern Bypass, a project with a budget estimate of €70mn for construction works and supervision, of which €55mn has been secured; €40mn from the EU and €14mn from the European Investment Bank (EIB) with the assistance of the For completion; Kampala EU. There is a deficit Northern Bypass bend at Bwaise. of €15mn, hence the Government’s consideration to phase the construction.

Current traffic levels on the bypass are expected to grow at approximately 7% per annum and these traffic levels will not be handled safely and efficiently by the existing single carriageway. Without capacity improvements, the level of service will deteriorate significantly from approximately 2013 on the busiest sec-

tions and by 2017 elsewhere. The increased congestion on both the bypass and in the city centre will result in increased travel times and costs as well as increased pollution.

Jinja-Bugiri Road The EU’s other assistance went to the strengthening of the Northern Corridor, starting with Malaba Border Post and Jinja-Bugiri 72.8km Road. Malaba Border Post was completed in 2003 while the roads works were completed in 2002F.

UGANDA NATIONAL ROADS AUTHORITY

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Jinja-Bugiri Rd through Kakira Sugar Estate.

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UGANDA NATIONAL ROADS AUTHORITY

The main objectives of this project were to promote regional and international integration, contribute to poverty eradication action plan and improve road safety, reduce travel time and vehicle operating costs.

Masaka-Mbarara Road The strengthening of the Northern Corridor Route has been ongoing, starting with Masaka-Mbarara Road Section with

the objective of promoting regional and international integration, contributing to poverty eradication action plan and improving road safety, and reducing travel time and vehicle operating costs.

The main activity involves reconstruction of 155km of the existing road including the climbing lanes and improvement of the dangerous bends.

The EU has committed â‚Ź4mn to a weighbridge, a facility for the demonstration of the best practice in overload-control along a regional corridor and a model for future weighbridge installations; it is expected to increase private sector awareness and encourage their support for such operations.

Mbarara Bypass, Mbarara-Ntungamo (26km)

President Yoweri Museveni and EU Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs commissioned the road in October 2012.

Uganda government has made a commitment to finance the works which comprise Mbarara Bypass and 26km of Mbarara-Ntungamo section of the Northern Corridor Route.

Mbarara-Ntungamo-Katuna Road The objectives of this project are to promote economic and social development and facilitate international and transit trade and thereby promote regional integration.

The Road Works are comprised of the reconstruction of 154km of the route between Mbarara and Katuna (Rwandan Border) and construction of Mbarara Bypass (14km) including a 50m span road bridge. The EU will finance works on 124km (km 36 to km 160) of the NCR road section falling under the Lot 2 and 3 works contracts while GOU will finance a section of 26km and as well as the Mbarara Bypass falling under Lot 1 of the works contract.

A weighbridge will be constructed in the

With EU assistance, €40mn-financing for the works has been secured from the European Investment Bank; the EU will finance the supervision services for a project that will cost €56mn inclusive of a price contingency of 15%.

vicinity of Kabale, as part of the project, to contribute to the overall Government’s initiative of axle loads control.

European Union-Uganda cooperation

Financing for Lot 1 works from the European Investment Bank is under consideration.

Further, the EU has provided €25mn to mitigate the cost overrun experienced on Masaka-Mbarara road contract contribution towards the improvement of the border facilities at Katuna.

The EU has committed €4mn to a weighbridge, a facility for the demonstration of the best practice in overload-control along a regional corridor and a model for future weighbridge installations; it is expected to increase private sector awareness and encourage their support for such operations.

UGANDA NATIONAL ROADS AUTHORITY

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Backlog maintenance benefits from EU support

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UGANDA NATIONAL ROADS AUTHORITY

main objective of financing Uganda National Paved Roads network maintenance has been to reduce the accumulated maintenance backlog and lay a foundation for a sustainable road maintenance regime.

The main interventions include periodic maintenance and rehabilitation works on 400km of selected sections of the network and provision of equipment and software for enhanced monitoring of road condition and weighbridge construction works.

This project comprises periodic maintenance, strengthening and spot rehabilitation interventions on nearly 400 km of paved roads spread across the country on the national road network. Its primary objective is to stem the growing national road maintenance backlog hence preserving the high investment

Government has made in developing the paved road infrastructure as well as reduce total transportation costs.

The project covers the following roads;

the construction of Aswa Bridge, Awoja bridge, upgrade of Kagamba-Rukugiri road and the rehabilitation of the district roads with New Aswa Bridge just before it was coma total of 1,315 missioned on September 30, 2012. km in Bugiri, Tororo, Jinja, Mukono, Wakiso, Mpigi, Masaka and Karamoja.

• Lira – Kamdin - Kawith a total length of 111.5km • Kampala-Mukono and KampalaKawempe with a total length of 23.3km • Masaka – Kyotera road (38.3 km) and Nyendo - Villa Maria road (10.4 km) with total length of 48.7km • Mbarara-Ishaka road (58.8 km) and Ishantu-Bwizibwera road (20km) and Mbarara-Katete (3.9km) with total length of 82.7km • Mbarara - Ntungamo totaling 57.8km • Ntungamo-Kabale-Katuna (96.36 km) Other EU supported projects include

Post-floods rehabilitation The overall objective of post floods rehabilitation road works and bridges in North and North Eastern Uganda is to ensure all weather access and uninterrupted connectivity of road links in those parts of the country . The project comprises the construction of the Aswa bridge that has been completed and commissioned and Awoja Bridge whose construction is underway, including their access roads.

EU Supports Capacity Building of Uganda Road Fund for Quality Road Maintenance

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effectively started in November 2012, is managed by M/s Sofreco Consultants of France who have not only helped in accelerated capacity building at Uganda Road Fund, but have also enabled it to address the key priority tasks inclusive of the development of the 1st “The support is a continuation of 5-year Corporate Plan, the Eng.Dr. Michael M. Odongo, Executive Directhe process that led to the creation 3&5 Year Road Maintenance tor, URF Eng. Dr. Francis Baziraak, URF of the Fund in which the European Union Board Chairman Plans, the Road Maintenance Uganda” Eng. Dr. Michael M. Odongo, was a key actor and will in effect help to Management System, Force Acbuild key URF competencies and systems Executive Director, URF says. count operationalisation study and estabnecessary for efficient delivery of services lishment of the Integrated Management The Technical assistance project which for maintenance of all Public roads in Information System among others. he European Union (EU) is funding a twoyear Euro 1.06 million Technical Assistance (TA) project support to Uganda Road Fund (URF) aimed at building the organization’s capacity to ensure sustainable and high quality road maintenance in the country.

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The project is spear headed by two permanent staff, a Finance and Operations Advisor and Team Leader, supported by a Senior Project Engineer who have mobilised other short term experts to handle various key areas effective April 2013.

Uganda Road Fund was established by Act of Parliament in 2008 and commenced its operations in January 2010 which coincided with the beginning of the 2nd half of FY 2009/10. Since inception, URF has disbursed about UGX 900 billion (About 350 million US dollars) to 135 designated agencies to uplift the road condition by at least 10% annually. The designated agencies include Uganda National Roads Authority in charge of national roads, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) for Kampala City roads, 111 districts for district, town council and community access roads and 22 Municipal Councils for urban roads.

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Periodic maintaince of Hoima Roads.

It has also prepared and implemented three annual road maintenance plans (OYRMPs) for FY 2010/11, 2011/12 and FY 212/13 which were all passed by the Parliament of Uganda in July 2010, July 2011 and July 2012 respectively.

Other key achievements include:

b. Establishment of regular URF monitoring and evaluation processes to ensure compliancy of agencies to agreed annual targets;

in preparation for full operationalisation of URF as a 2nd Generation Fund by FY 2014/15. e. Preparation of two Annual Performance reports for FY 2009/10 and FY 2010/11 incorporating physical performance and the Auditor Generals reports for the respective periods.

c. Conducting of regular and spot technical audits in various agencies aimed at ensuring value for money of road maintenance;

f. Procurement of the EU-Long Term Technical assistance for the URF capacity building programme expected to last up to March 2014.

d. Conducting of key studies including:

Key Challenges

a. Improved financial and reporting discipline by the designated agencies;

• The 2nd generation funds allocation formula approved by the Sector Working Group in February 2013; • The Unit Cost rationalisation model; • The Road condition data study to provide baseline data for the URF 5-Year road maintenance plan ; • The Road user charges frame work

roads into costly reconstructions.

• Poor technical capacity of designated agencies especially under district, urban and community access roads (DUCAR) network; • Delayed attainment of the 2nd Generation status as required by the URF Act 2008.

The Fund is still faced with the following key challenges: • Escalating backlog road maintenance.

The available annual funding of UGX 280 bn only meets 34% of total needs thereby leaving a financial gap of 66%.

It is this gap which needs incremental shrinking to avoid continuous slippage of

The Uganda Road Fund 5th Floor, Twed Towers; Plot 10, Kafu Road, Nakasero, P.O.Box 7501, KAMPALA. Tel: + 256 414 257 072 +256 312 229 009 E-mail: info@roadfund.ug

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Citizens Effecting Decisions

Democratic Governance and Accountability Programme (DGAP):- Contributing to good governance by demanding for democratic and social accountability.

DGAP is funded under the 10th European Development Fund through Financing Agreement (No.UG/FED/2008/020145) between the European Commission and the Government of Uganda.

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The reason for the existence of DGAP is to strengthen mechanisms for democratic and social accountability as a foundation for good governance in Uganda. This is effected through giving financial support to government institutions and civil society organisations (CSOs) in addition to providing technical support. Since 2010, DGAP has supported four (4) Government institutions namely: The Parliament of Uganda, Uganda Police Force, Uganda Prison Service, and the Office of the

Prime Minister; and eleven (11) CSOs with twelve grant contracts, that is; Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, British Council, Foundation for Human Rights Initiative, Oxfam Novib (2 contracts), PANOS Eastern Africa, Oxfam GB, Diakonia, Trocaire, Uganda Women’s Network, Hivos and Mayank Anti-corruption Coalition.

with special focus on final beneficiaries, • There is effective dialogue and communication with all stakeholders and • The 10th EDF rules and procedures are respected at all times.

The outcomes of the programme are highlighted under the respective organisations below:

The entire programme is managed and coordinated through a Programme Management Unit comprised of two (2) Technical Assistants and ten (10) local staff. In executing her mandate, the PMU has been able to provide technical support to the grantees and beneficiary institutions to ensure that: • Key Result Areas are fully implemented,

4th floor, Interservice Tower Plot 33, Lumumba Avenue P.O Box 37359, Kampala, Uganda Telephone: 0414 258 559 Email Address: admin@dgapuganda.org website//www.dgapuganda.org

F O R U M F OR W O ME N I N DE MO C R A C Y

STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES AND CSOs TO PROMOTE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY IN KOTIDO, ABIM AND KITGUM When citizens understand how government resources should be utilized, corruption is harder to sustain and service delivery improves. DIAKONIA and Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) are starting to see positive result arising out of 18 months community empowerment project supported by European Union under Democratic Governance and Accountability Programme (DGAP) in Kitgum, Kotido and Abim districts.

Under this action, four major activities have been undertaken: • Village Budget Clubs (VBCs) comprised of 60% women have been formed and members trained in monitoring expenditure of public resources.

and interests of poor women and men in the communities.

• 415 councilors have been trained in Effective Legislative Engagement on their roles and know how to prioritize women’s issues in Council and scrutinize budgets from a gender perspective.

Achievement

Chairperson of the VBC Nena nyim Club witnessing the drilling of the water source for Alero primary school – Kitgum district on December 11, 2012.

• 947 (376 men & 571 women) participated actively in community budget dialogue and interface meeting with duty bearers on service delivery issues.

• Over 30 Civil Society Organizations (CSO) were trained to analyze local government budgets that address the needs

Citizens have discovered their potential in terms of influencing decisions and actions of District and Sub- county local government leaders. The renewed community activism is already bearing fruit. For example, in Kotido the local government has added more medical workers at Losilang health centre II after VBCs petitioned their leaders and this has facilitated increased immunization, voluntary counseling and testing and supply of drugs.

Female councilors are more energized and take action against gender based violence which is very common in post conflict communities in Karamoja and Acholi land.

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Enhancing accountable governance for socio-economic justice Trocaire -Uganda is implementing an 18 month action (January 2012-June 2013) titled ‘Enhancing accountable governance for socio-economic justice’ supported by the European Union. The action covers 14 districts of the Acholi, Lango and Teso sub-regions with some activities implemented at the national level.

The project entails, among other things, raising awareness on rights; improving the capacity of women and men at the local level to participate in local decision making and to demand accountability for service delivery as well as strengthening the monitoring and advocacy capacity of partner-CSOs and their members.

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Achievements of the projects include: • Institutionalisation of consultative/ feedback meetings, systematic public display of budgets and quarterly fund disbursements by projects on sub county notice boards and opening up of council proceedings to the public at parish, sub county and district levels.

• Three sub-counties of Kitgum Matidi, Palaam and Oyam have declared an Accountability/Open Day each calendar year where citizens will interface with duty bearers for social accountability/audit purposes • Trocaire partner organisations in the Acholi sub-region; Pader NGO forum and Gulu NGO Forum spearheaded a campaign on nodding disease which resulted in government action.

• In Akalo Sub county, Kole District, community activism resulted into the District

Left: Community members of Okwor Parish in Ayer sub-county, developinga develoment plan.

Chairperson correcting the mistakes made by the Council including the reinstatement of the Secretary for Education and Health.

• The project supported Alemi in Ayer Subcountry to develop a parish development plan for Alemi parish that was jointly developed by the leaders and the lead CSO and subsequently submitted to the Sub- county.

• 57 CSOs in Gulu, Katakwi, Kitgum, Pader and Lira are being voluntarily asessed under the Quality Assurance Certification Mechanism as a way of strengthening internal accountability.

HIVOS/CITIZENS ELECTION’ WATCH-IT (CEW-IT) ENHANCING CIVIC COMPETENCE TO STRENGTHEN SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY IN 25 DISTRICTS, 5 REGIONS OF UGANDA Hivos in partnership with CEW-IT, with funding from the European Union through DGAP are implementing a project for enhancing civic competence to strengthen social accountability in 25 districts of Uganda. It targets 1,500,000 citizens and 150 CSOs in the regions of Teso, Acholi, West-Nile, Buganda and Rwenzori.

Achievements so far include: • Enhancing effective citizen and CSO participation in monitoring service delivery and undertaking social accountability to reduce poverty.

• Joint campaigns with interest groups have helped push issues of interest groups on the districts’ agenda.

• As a result of a campaign on the

theme ‘accessibility is a fundamental right to all people with disability, ramps were constructed to allow access by the PWDs to the offices of the DCDO and the District Chair in Yumbe and Koboko districts. The other districts have pledged to include this in their next financial budget.

• Participatory policy assessment on education, water, health and agriculture was conducted

under this project and this has been used for advocacy purposes.

• In Rwenzori region, stakeholders have reached concensus that parents’ contribution towards the well being of pupils include provision of meals.

• Furthur, the project has worked with schools, local leaders and parents to find solutions to the high rate of absenteeism of teachers and students as well Above: PWDs express their concerns as school with the Manager (in yellow shirt) of Pakema at Kaberamaido Police Station feeding Left: The DPC Kaberamaido holding discussions with PWDs at Kaberamaido Police Station

CEW-IT membership PAC-U ACORD CEFORD FHRI RWECO

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Uganda Prisons Service’s (UPS) project WHEN MINDS INTERSECT ‘Strengthening the human rights culture and accountability’ is an 18-month European Union funded project run by Uganda Prisons Service’s (UPS) that is employing a multifaceted approach to promote human rights amongst the inmates.

Interventions include:

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• Training of 30 UPS trainers, 100 middle level managers and 300 former Local Administration Prison warders in issues of human rights.

• Improving the sanitation and health of inmates by installing water-borne toilet facilities in Moyo, Kabula, Iganga, Bufulubi, Kibaale, Butiiti, Pece, and Erute prisons, refurbishing and equipping two clinical

Inmates undergoing skills training in tailoring

laboratories in Jinja and Ruimi which serve a total of 10 surrounding prisons.

• Building the life skills of inmates through Effect of interventions • Staff awareness and observance of human rights in prisons has increased from 60% from to 70%. The percentage of inmates aware of their rights has increased from 67% to 90%.

• A total of 212, 80, and 160 inmates have been trained in carpentry, tailoring and handcraft respectively • Inmates will be able to start income generating activities after serving their sentences and this will enable them to be quickly re-integrated in the community

Some of the products made by the inmates.

vocational training in carpentry, tailoring, handcraft and retooling.

• Making information on human rights accessible to inmates by providing 5 television sets in the Arua, Gulu, Masaka, Mbale and Nakasongola prisons and through IEC materials to all prisons.

• Strengthening the Human Rights Committees that are charged with the responsibility of detecting human rights abuses

UGANDA WOMEN’S NETWORK

Sustaining women’s leadership and building the women’s movement in enhancing social accountability processes.

UWONET is implementing an action to enhance women’s oversight and capacity to participate in socio-economic and political processes in the regions of Acholi, West Nile and Karamoja funded under the EU’ Democratic Governance and Accountability Programme.

The action is implemented through introducing the targeted community members to governance issues and civic engagement through: Capacity building of CSOs to engage in social accountability; induction of duty bearers on their roles and responsibilities in relation to service delivery; community led monitoring of service delivery and citizen platforms for dialogue on service delivery.

Results of the intervention include: Women volunteer monitoring groups have been created in the targeted Districts and are currently monitoring service delivery in five sectors of water, health, agriculture, roads and education with significant achievements.

Agago District, Omot Sub-county women have been auditing the delivery of drugs at the Omot health center II and this has increased accountability on the side of the duty bearers.

• Community vigilance on service delivery has increased where citizens of Lamwo District are able to question their leaders on the poor performance in

schools with duty bearers pledging to address issues raised.

• In Yumbe District, women’s participation in the planning process is evident and they have been able to collect priorities from village to the District for 2013/2014 financial year where maternal health and response to gender based violence have been prioritized.

• The action has also registered increased coordination of CSOs efforts in social accountability, reduced duplication of efforts, synergized monitoring of government programmes and led to better partnership between CSOs and the citizens to demand for improved service delivery.

Participants of the citizen platforms- Kaabong District

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Using Community Process Facilitators as Tool to Promote Social Accountability Since December 2011, MAYANK AntiCorruption Coalition (MACCO) has been work­ing in partnership with Centre for Governance and Economic Development (CEGED) to take lead in implementation of Community Empowerment for Social Accountability (CESA). Eight Sub-counties from four Districts of Nebbi, Yumbe, Moyo and Adjumani have been targeted.

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MACCO/ CEGED work through eight selected groups of Community Process Facilitators (CPFs) each comprising of 15 members.

These have undergone a series of trainings and are empowered to monitor service delivery which they have vigilantly done.

Results of the action: • At Midigo Health Centre IV in Yumbe District, cases of negligence of duty, absenteeism and late coming of health workers have greatly reduced.

Health workers who used to report for duty between 10:00 and 11:00 are currently reporting at 9:00am as a result of the work of the CPFs. • The presence of CPFs has prevented stealing of medicines and other hospital supplies by the health workers. which was a major cause of lack of essential medicines, especially anti-malaria drugs. Currently, essential drugs can readily be accessed by patients.

• In respect of Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF) II, the CPFs have

CPFs of Itula S/C give feedback to MACCO after their routine quarterly monitoring

helped to sensitize the beneficiaries on the importance of taking care of their income generating projects and this has resulted into sustainability of these projects. For example, In Itula Sub-county, beneficiaries of NUSAF 11 have stopped the habit of selling animals indiscriminately at cheaper prices or using them to pay Bride price (dowry) as the case was before.

Capacity For Research And Advocacy For Fair Taxation (Craft)

The

CRAFT action is an 18months (2012- 2013) action implemented by Oxfam Novib, Southern and Eastern African Trade Information and Negotiation Institute (SEATINI) Uganda and Tax Justice NetworkAfrica (TJN-A) with the support of the European Union through DGAP. The overall objective of the action is to contribute to a more democratic, accountable and responsive state in Uganda, through enhancing the capacity of civil society to advocate for a transparent, efficient, accountable and progressive tax system, that would prevent the uncontrolled outflow of resources and widespread tax evasion and corruption, tackle inequality and reinforce

inequalities and funds part of the delivery of the MDGs. Under this project, SEATINI Uganda has carried out research, developed training modules and IEC materials, and organized a number of capacity building workshops for various stakeholders.

Participants in a community meeting on tax justice in Pader district

pro-poor policies and practices.

The action is premised on the understanding that domestic tax revenues ensure sustainable funding of essential services for the poor, such as health and education. Further, promoting accountable, fair and pro poor tax systems significantly improves the lives of the poor, decreases

Achievements The primary beneficiaries have embarked on implementing similar work amongst different stakeholders and issues of taxation which were a reserve of Parliament, Ministry of Finance and Uganda Revenue Authority are now being discussed by a cross section of citizens who are not only ready to pay taxes, but also to demand for accountability from the respective actors.

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F

Action for development (Acfode)

KAS-ACFODE Intervention Strengthens Local Demand for Accountability

or about two years, the KonradAdenauer-Stiftung (KAS) and Action for Development (ACFODE) have been implementing the ‘Action for Strengthening Good Governance and Accountability’ funded under the EU’ Democratic Governance and Accountability Programme.

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The project, which is intended to encourage democratic accountability, and to bolter understading of democratic rights and roles of leaders and citizens, is implemented in the districts of Arua, Jinja, Kabale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Lira, Masaka, Mbarara, Pallisa, Pader and Soroti.

At the beginning of the project, the custom was to revere local authorities including elected leaders and the electorate

barely made demands on them.

In addition, the useful connection between the leaders and civil society was often lacking and public dialogue on issues of democratic accountability was very minimal.

A series of activities have been conducted in the districts to bolster the appreciation of democratic rights and the roles and responsibilities of leaders and citizens.

These include: • Democracy fairs and the reception of the democracy torch in the 11 districts.

• Self- assessment and District Peer Review Mechanism (DPRM) which provided an opportunity to establish the state of democratic accountability in the districts as well as initiate a continuous dialogue on much needed reforms

The Mayor of Masaka His Worship Kayemba Godfrey Afaayo marches with the democracy torch in Masaka Town.

Achievements • Formation of a locally-based Inter-district Forum for Democracy Promotion Initiatives, a platform of cooperation and exchange focussing on democratic governance and accountability. The platform brings together civil society actors and elected representatives from the above mentioned eleven districts of Uganda to meet, network and exchange approaches and best practices in fostering democracy, promoting good governance, and strengthening accountability

Foundation for Human Rights Initiative Foundation for Human Rights Initiative has been promoting good governance and democratic accountability through human rights monitoring and reporting, legislative advocacy and leadership development of human rights defenders in Uganda.

T

his action addresses objective No. 7 of the National Development Plan (strengthening good governance, defence and security), through legislative review and lobbying; strengthening knowledge and skills in human rights monitoring and reporting; production of human rights thematic reports to support information gaps and strengthening the University Human Rights Networks.

Since September 2011, when FHRI got a grant from DGAP, a number

of activities have been implemented with tangible outcomes.

• Exposure of human rights violations by community monitors and corrective action: Community monitors in Kayunga district have raised corruption related human rights concerns within the Kayunga JLOS District Coordination Committee leading to transfer of officials in the justice sector and prosecution of the State Attorney.

• Students’ active participation in initiatives that promote human rights, democracy and good

governance: There have been efforts by Islamic University in Uganda - Mbale Human Rights Association to educate people about their rights through media. The Association is hosted on a radio talk show on Masaba FM 89.1 on the program; ‘Eddembe Ly’obuntu’ translated as ‘Your Rights’ that runs for 1 hour every Sunday from 6:00 – 7:00am and Monday to Wednesday from 7:00 – 7:30pm. The live call in talk show delves into human rights and governance issues.

Top: Launch of Project 7th October 2011.

Above: Winners of the 5th Inter – University Huma Rights Competition

The British Council and other project stakeholders have been privileged to take part in this important project which has enabled so many young people to play their part in the governance process.

Peter Brown Country Director, British Council

“Ours by Right: Participation of Youth in Democratic Governance ” Further information on the project

The

‘Ours by Right’ project was conceived in 2010 with an agreement being signed between the Government of Uganda as the contractor and the British Council as the implementer – and the European Union as the funding agency.

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British Council had partnered with the Uganda Youth Network (UYONET) as a delivery partner, considering their wide network and experience in working with youth in the country.

The project runs from July 2011 to July 2013 with funding of

384,000 EUR (80% from EU and 20% from BC).

Project implementation started in June 2011, and it was implemented across four districts; Bushenyi, Nebbi, Apac and Pallisa.

There are three direct target groups for the project; youth councillors, youth CSOs, and local government officials (sub-county and district level). Details about each of the three categories are given further below.

“Before the project, we did not know our roles.

We did not know that it was important to lobby for other youth Youth councillor” Apac District “It is a good project which involves the youth who were previously not well supported. The project has been an eye opener and helped us to realize that youth have an important role to play” DCDO Pallisa District.

Before the project, there were very limited youth focused activities at subcounty level. The training

of youth councillors and CSOs has stimulated formation of youth groups.

DCDO Pallisa District.

Building capacity for the youth is a very relevant focus. Training content is thorough and relevant DCDO Nebbi District.

“The youth have woken up. They know their rights. They know their roles. They now have the right attitude. They listen and cooperate with leaders and there is more understanding and the working together” district official

Local government and decentralisation system in Uganda The Local Governments in the four project districts are the District and the Sub-county. The project has had an impact on the various components as will be presented later, but overall, comments

Left Mr. Willis Bashasha District Chairman launching the project and handig it over to Bushenyi District Youth leaders and Mr. Emmanuel Kitamirike ( extreme left) Executive Director UYONET.

extracted from external mid-term evaluation report below indicate the relevance of the project intervention, but also some of the impact it has had so far.

Youth Councillors and building of their capacity Since 1993, Government has pursued a decentralized system of government under which political, administrative planning and financial powers were transferred from the Central Government to Local Governments and Administrative Units. Each local government unit (district and sub-county) has council that governs it. Each council has special representation by a male and a female youth councillor. However, the rest of the council had ‘senior’ or non-youth members and the youth were often looked at as a tick box exercise- their views being ignored, if at all they could master the courage to contribute any way.

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Youth Councillors from all the sub-counties of the four selected districts were taken through a fiveday training during the months of February/March 2012 in the areas of Political Context and emerging issues for youth partici-

pation; Decentralisation & the Local Government framework, Lobbying and Advocacy, Leadership which culminated in them developing action plans/personal development plans.

“These days we are not after money for allowances when we attend council meetings, but to raise issues, questions and discuss. Meetings achieve more because youth are focused.”

understanding and the working together” “In the recent district council, I competed for the Chairperson of Production and Marketing committee and I received overwhelming support from cross section of the councillors from different political affiliations. This shows the trust the councillors have in me despite being a youth and more to that a female.

Such positions have always been a reserve for men and a female councillor getting

(Youth Councillor, Apac district)

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“The youth have woken up. They know their rights. They know their roles. They now have the right attitude. They listen and cooperate with leaders and there is more

The training started yielding results a few months later. As indicated in the mid-project external M&E for example, in Apac district, the District Female Youth Councillor was in (Sept 2012) elected the Chairperson of the

support from the council is not easy considering that I subscribe to NRM political party that has fewer councillors within the district council” Florence Acuma, district female youth councillor.

“Before the training, I had no confidence but now I am able to talk. I have the courage to stand up and say whatever I want to say. I am not intimidated.”

(Female Youth Councillor/ Deputy Speaker, Apac Town Council).

Production and Marketing due to the increased confidence the other councillors have in her.

Youth CSOs and budget monitoring Budgeting being one of the ways

“Because of the training, I am now at a different level. I am able to express myself and say something in the council meetings”.

(Youth Councillor, Nebbi District

“’As youth leaders, we also have a well written down plan that we use to lobby for resources. We have a shopping list unlike before where we used to ask without any written document’’.

District female Youth Councillor- Apac district

governments fulfils the above responsibilities; Government budgets carry the weight of defining public policy decisions and the commitment of the government to provide services to its people. The ‘Ours by Right’ project developed a budget monitoring tool called “Follow the Money”. This is a guide to be used by different stakeholders especially actors from civil society organisations in budget monitoring accountability and assessing effectiveness and efficiency of Government spending at lower level of government in a participatory way.

Training on use of the budget monitoring tools and the budgeting process was delivered to 160 CSO members across the four districts, between July and September 2012, in all the four districts.

Subsequent monitoring and follow up support visit indicate that a number of youth CSOs have incorporated and institutionalised budget monitoring into on-going organisational initiatives. The tool has been applied to guide trainees in tracking public expenditures in some of the government programmes.

From the reports presented by the CSOs, the tool has been very useful and some of them have customized it to suit other projects within their work.

The work that the monitors are doing is quite tremendous; from demanding for Bills of Quantities to contractors approved and monitoring work against these, to construction approved but funds withheld (potentially ‘ghost’ sites), to uncovering ‘ghost’ NUSAF (government project) supplies and projects, to resumption of work by contractors who had abandoned work due to failure to pay ‘kick backs’. While all this is common knowledge, these project monitors have moved a step forward to correct and resolve these issues.

and mentored staff of UYONET. The partnership with British Council has made UYONET known for quality delivery and raised the profile of the organization.

UYONET has used this positive relationship as a leverage to solicit additional support from other agencies like the Democratic Governance Facility (DGF). The project has given UYONET increased confidence and visibility.

Support to Uganda Youth Network

Local Government Technical Officials and the Management Forums

In line with the theme of building local capacity, the project has supported UYONET in the areas if institutional and staff development. The project supported UYONET to develop a new strategic plan, and also trained

The Management Forum is a platform used to raise and discuss issue through dialogue, and also to hold to account the duty bearers.

It is an accountability forum which brings together youth leaders (councillors), youth

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CSO members, and the district and sub county officials to a round table, over three-four hours; they discuss and agree action points, which will be revisited in the next management forum. It has been the most successful component of the project. During the scoping/pre-launch visits, conversations with the different stakeholders indicated a gap between the technical officers above, the councils (political and decision maker), and more so between them and the youth. While the youth form a higher percentage of the population to benefit from government services, very few of them were in fact benefiting, moreover, the district officials’ attitude to them was extremely negative (some of them called them timid, shabby, confrontational, not focussed, among others) The “ours by right” project intervened with a forum for engagement known as the Management Forums. These have been a great platform, being not only accountability forums, but also enabling the training youth councillors and the CSOs, to actually practically apply the knowledge and skills they have since gained. Results from the Management Forums include increase in allocation of projects to youth, establishment of scholarship funds for youth, to fulfilment of presidential pledges, among others.

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“Our entire association has changed because of the training we went through. We have made a work plan and a budget. We have learned that we need to be part of networks related to our work. We learnt that we are supposed to lift up the rights holders and understand that duty bearers are there to serve the right holders. We now understand that our role is to empower the community to demand their rights”.

CSO Member - Pallisa district

“After the training, we decided to organize our secretariat. We have organized our documents, for example, minutes of meetings; have developed a financial policy, a membership policy and a human resource policy. As a network, we now understand our role and the direction we need to move. We

have written project proposals to lobby for community demand driven projects.”

CSO Member - Apac district

“Ours by Right has made us brave to demand our rights and accountability. We are now able to face officers at the district without fear.”

CSO Member - Nebbi district

“From the training, I now appreciate reading and know that knowledge is power. I understand that investing in reading is very important”.

CSO Member - Nebbi district

“As CSOs we now understand how and where we fit in the budget process of local government and the role we should play.”

CSO Member - Nebbi district

Feebback on Management Forum is quoted below; “This kind of sitting and discussing is very healthy for the governance of the district. It makes each of the stakeholders accountable to each other and should be encouraged” Deputy District Chairperson, Nebbi District “As a district, we have no means of having such forums; we appreciate British Council and UYONET for providing such forum. We will continue supporting such initiative and we request such support to continue” LCV Chairperson, Nebbi District “Our young citizens, stop being victims of age. Be empowered to deliver. Change your attitude and state of mind, liberate your mind from slavery that is hindering you from achieving your full potential: ” Wills Bashaasha, LCV Chairperson Bushenyi LG “I am really happy that such a forum has been initiated in Bushenyi district.

The fact of the matter is that in our interventions, we have always neglected the youth. We never consider them but

as a district leadership, this is an eye opener for us and we will act” District Speaker, Bushenyi District This project has been an eye opener.

We have realized that the youth have weaknesses and we as leaders also have weaknesses. The district has benefited through engaging the youth. The project was timely.”

DCDO Pallisa District “This project has provided an opportunity for dialogue with youth leaders. We now share directly with them and they are now involved in planning processes.“ Deputy CAO, Pallisa district “In the management forum, challenges from the field are presented to the relevant authorities”.

(CSO representative, Apac District).

“The forum has brought together CSOs, youth councillors and the district leadership. We discuss and the youth ask questions and the district leaders respond and we all discuss the

challenges”.

(CSO representative, Apac District).

“Through the management forum, we have realized that we need to be in harmony as leaders in order for us to do our work”.

(District leader, Apac).

Key Project Team Members Outgoing Country Director, British Council: Hugh Moffatt Executive Director, Uganda Youth Network: Emmanuel Kitamirike Project Manager: Deborah Asikeit Project Officers: George Kanyomoozi (British Council) Ronald Otim (Uganda Youth Network)

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UNHCR/EU build Uganda’s capacity to protect asylum seekers and refugees

The

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), together with its governmental counterpart, the Office of the Prime minister, with generous funding and support from the European Union, are undertaking a 24 month project to strengthen the protection of rights of asylum-seekers and refugees in Uganda as well as reinforce and support Uganda’s asylum and management capacity.

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This initiative began in July 2011 and is being implemented in partnership with the Refugee Affairs Department of the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and Windle Trust Uganda (WTU). The project

activities are summarized below: Vocational training for refugees and asylum seekers: Refugees at the Vocational Training Centre in Nakivale settlement, Uganda learn animal husbandry skills in order to help make a living within the settlement.

UNHCR/GIZ have constructed the only vocational training institution in Nakivale refugee settlement, Isingiro district, 60 km from Mbarara town. The centre commenced training in September 2012 offering courses in Tailoring and garment cutting, Carpentry and joinery, Building and concrete practice and Agronomy. Students of the training centre are refugees, asylum-seekers and Ugandan nation-

als residing in and around Nakivale. They have the opportunity to train in different skills that will enable them to secure employment and

become self-reliant in Uganda and on return to their countries of origin. Self-reliance of refugees and asylum seekers should hopefully reduce secondary movements to other countries of asylum as well as improving refugee quality of life within the country.

The vocational training centre (VTC) comprises of four lecture rooms/workshops for

practical work, two 10 roomed staff accommodation blocks, one community hall, one administration block and sanitation facilities.

Further expansion of the vocational training institution is on-going to include male and female dormitories, additional sanitary facilities, a kitchen and a water system extension.

In February 2013, 73 refugees and nationals became the first ever graduates from the VTC programmes. Many refugees attending the VTC have very little formal education and are already using their newfound practical skills to help earn a living. Some have set up their own cooperative group called the ‘Abaterine Group’ made up of a mixture of Rwandan and Congolese refugees who now run a tailoring workshop within Nakivale refugee settlement as well as training up other youth looking to acquire skills in tailoring and cutting.

Women at the EU –funded vocational training centre in Nakivale refugee settlement Uganda learn skills including tailoring.

“On the introduction of the vocational school in Nakivale I enrolled in the agriculture (Agronomy department) where I learnt how to look after the banana plantation very well, and also how to grow vegetables on a small piece of land and earn a lot of fruits from them. This project of VTC has enabled me to sustain myself and my wife and children are doing very well now. Thank you for that heart of reaching out to such disadvantaged people like us.”

MUGISHA ISSA. 25 year old Burundian refugee

“[The VTC] has imparted skills in me that I am now able to use to earn a living. I learnt how to make primary school uniforms for both girls and boys, shirts and trouser, shirts for uniforms in secondary schools and I am able to earn something by sewing uniforms.”

AINEMBABAZI PHIONAH. 28 year old Rwandan refugee

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Improving refugee reception facilities “I can lay very good bricks and know how to set up my own building with the skills I acquired at the VTC.” 22 year old Rwandan refugee BYUKUSENGE JEAN LOUIS.

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Refugee Status Determination centre (RSD): The construction of the RSD centre is on-going in Nakivale refugee settlement. The centre will strengthen Uganda’s eligibility and refugee status determination capacity by allowing the

Refugee Eligibility Committee (REC) and Refugee Appeals Board (RAB) teams to more effectively identify people in need of international protection amongst the asylum seekers received in the settlement. The RSD centre will include an interview office, reception areas for crowd control and a mini board room for

recess and joint case reviews.

Asylum/Reception centres: Two asylum/reception centres are under the final phases of rehabilitation in Nakivale and Kyaka II refugee settlements. On completion, the centres will offer immediate accommodation to newly arrived asylum seekers and provide space for registration in a safe and dignified manner. To enhance protection and uphold the basic human rights of asylumseekers, the centres include police outposts

as well as sanitation facilities. The improved asylum-seeker reception centre will also provide more centralized protection and care, especially for unaccompanied minors and vulnerable women.

Strengthening the asylum process With the aim of enhancing sound protection delivery at Uganda’s border points, UNHCR in partnership with OPM carried out 22 in-country regional trainings under the theme: “Protecting refugees and asylum seekers within broader migratory groups”.

UNHCR/OPM trained a total of 767 officials from national institutions handling migration/asylum policies and those in regular contact with asylum seekers in various capacities including civil society, police, the army, immigration, media and the Refugee Department of the Office of the Prime Minister. The content of the trainings were tailored to address the knowledge gaps identified and enable the stakeholders to identify asylum seekers from the larger

groups of migrants and to be able to assist or refer them to the relevant authorities.

Three staff of the Office of the Prime Minister were supported by the project to attend a short course on International refugee law in San Remo, Italy. The project also facilitated a study tour to South Africa for members of the Refugee Eligibility Committee (REC). The objective was to build the capacity of REC through learning and sharing experiences with South African compatriots on effective and efficient refugee status determination processes, including best practices and addressing various challenges in management of asylum matters.

Computers and office equipment were also provided to the Office of the Prime Minister Refugee Department to improve their capacity and quicken the processing of asylum cases.

A sensitization workshop for refugee and host community leaders in Nakivale,settlement on “Agencies involved in Asylum process”. Seated are UNHCR officials, Alan Deve (left) and

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Vincent Babalanda (right) and OPM commandant Mr John Bosco Sentamu (standing).

Capacity building of the Refugee Eligibility Committee/Refugee Appeals Board members: The project enhanced the adjudicative roles of Refugee Eligibility Committee (REC) and newly created Refugee Appeals Board (RAB) to ensure that fair and efficient procedures are followed in determining first instance decisions and in the handling of appeals. In light of the impeding application of the cessation clause to certain groups of Rwandan refugees in Uganda, the project trained 20 participants on how to apply the procedures for the application of cessation and exemption procedures. The project also enhanced REC and RAB’s capacity to deal with cases for whom general cessation does not apply and whose applications for exemptions will be considered at first instance and appeal levels.

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“The training sessions I attended helped me to better understand relevant Ugandan laws governing the refugees and how they interlink with regional and international instruments. The training workshops also enabled me to network and build links with key organizations and individuals in the refugee protection field. Using the knowledge acquired from the above training workshops I attended, I have been able to mentor the junior colleagues under my jurisdiction and provide more informed supervision on how to handle refugee issues. I have also been able to carry out comprehensive sensitization workshops within Nakivale settlement covering the rights and obligations of refugees while they are in Uganda. When district officials and other local leaders were trained in refugee matters, this changed their perceptions about asylum seekers and refugees in Uganda. They realized that as Government officials they too have a role to play to ensure the safety of refugees and other people of concern in Uganda. The training empowered me with

much needed monitoring and evaluation skills as well as a clear understanding of the operations of UNHCR’s OPs and IPs. This has gone a long way to reduce incidents of refugee riots and strikes which were commonplace in previous years.”

John Bosco Ssentamu, Office of the Prime Minister, Department of Refugees, Settlement Commandant at Nakivale Refugee Settlement.

UNHCR Representation in Uganda No 18 Prince Charles Drive P. O. Box 3813 Kampala, Uganda Tel.:+256-41-4231231/ +256-31-2261432/4 Fax:+256-41-4256989 Email: ugaka@unhcr.org

PAMENU’s Fire Still Burning at Oluko Secondary School

Three

years ago, Oluko Secondary School (SS), a private school in Arua district, was an ordinary school grappling with energy problems, as is common to most schools in the area. At the time, Oluko was inccuring high costs of firewood since there are no forests nearby. According to administration, the school used 50 m3 of firewood every term and this alone cost about Ushs 1million (approx. 300 Euros), putting a heavy financial burden on the school.

Additionally, smoke from rudimentary cook stoves used in the school kitchen was affecting the health of kitchen staff. More to that,

Oluko SS relied solely on pollusive kerosene and candles for lighting in the evenings, hence impacting on students health and limiting their study time after sunset. The situation also made it difficult for the school to have assured night security.

Oluko’s woes came to an end when German Development Cooperation and the European Union, through Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), implemented a project on Promotion of Access to Modern Energy in Northern Uganda ( PAMENU). The project’s aim was to reduce

The project also promoted improved cook stoves for households, institutions and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). This resulted in over 269,032 households adopting these firewood saving stoves in the districts of Lira, Apac, Arua, Yumbe and Moyo.

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Students of Oluko in a well lit classroom

poverty and improve standards of living in West Nile and Lango regions.

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Through PAMENU, Oluko SS installed three improved cook stoves each with a stainless steel saucepan of 250-300 litres. The school was also supported to acquire and install two solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems, with a generation capacity of 680 Wp each.

These supply a classroom block and library as well as administration and laboratory blocks respectively. The combined system provides adequate electricity for lighting and also pow-

ers one computer and one printer.

These interventions continue to improve the living and learning situation at Oluko SS, thereby considerably enhancing the school’s reputation in the wider region. The upgraded study environment and living conditions have played a big part in increasing enrolment by over 100 %.

Before the PAMENU intervention, the school had 130 students. At present, the number has risen to 300. Consumption of firewood

has also decreased immensely, saving more than 50 % of Oluko’s yearly expenses. The school’s kitchen is now completely smoke and heat free, allowing kitchen staff to work in healthier conditions. With the switch to solar power, study times have increased and the whole compound is lit, enabling the students to study longer and move around freely, especially at night. The new source of electricity has also greatly aided Oluko’s security situation, in that students can carry out their activities without any fear of unseen injurious elements or strangers entering the compound

without permission. Above all, the solar PV systems and institutional cooking stoves have influenced the community at large and strengthened the people’s pride in their school.

Oluko is one of several institutions whose fire is still burning as a result of PAMENU’s intervention. By the time PAMENU closed, the project had also disseminated Solar PV systems and lanterns in partnership with local companies, NGOs and Micro Finance Institutions. As a result, more than 974 solar PV home systems were disseminated. 18 schools, 25 health centres and 4 sub county headquarters also acquired solar power. In

Yumbe town, through a pilot project aimed at boosting commerce in the region, 32 solar street lights were set up. These have lived up to their expectations, allowing business owners to work late, in a secure environment.

The project also promoted improved cook

This resulted in over 269,032 households adopting these firewood saving stoves in the districts of Lira, Apac, Arua, Yumbe and Moyo. Over 165 institutional stoves were also disseminated in the region; in prisons, schools and SMEs as well as 16,179 improved charcoal and 97 metal rocket firewood stoves.

This ease of access to modern facilities coupled with training on energy efficiency and best practices has gone a long way towards boosting a region that had previously lagged in Uganda’s development progress.

Above: An efficient stove in Oluko Left: A solar Panel on one of the School’s buildings

stoves for households, institutions and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH GIZ PREEEP Amber House, Block A 3rd Floor Room 304 P.O. Box 10346, Kampala Uganda Tel./ Fax: +256 414 234165

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Creating employment opportunities

“

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I make and save money every day now” says a beneficiary of the EU funded project “Creating employment opportunities in Acholi” (CEO). CEO facilitates income generation for those affected by the past conflict in Northern Uganda in line with the EU’s focus on poverty alleviation in Northern Uganda. 2,300 youth and vulnerable groups are supported to participate in viable income generating activities and in market oriented (business) skills training in three Vocational Training Institutes (VTIs) in Pader District.

Farmers are the drivers of the economy and their skills are built to select and cultivate profitable crops and do bulk marketing of

A representative of Agago United Beekeepers Association picks the first prize during the World Food Day celebration for Agago District in 2012.

their produce.

Implementing partners The intervention (2010-2013) is implemented by ZOA and partner Christian

Counseling Fellowship (CCF). ZOA is an international NGO and works in Uganda since 2002.

Members of the Shea Nut Processing groups are mak- ZOA works in the sectors ing soap. (agricultural) livelihoods, private sector development, education, water and sanitation using an integrated community approach. CCF is an expert in youth (economic) development since 2002.

Achievements: The following has been achieved in period 2010-2012 • Four modules for non-formal vocational trainings have been developed together with the Ministry of Education and Sports.

Students are assessed by the Directorate of Industrial Training.

• 77% of the VTI students earned an income within 6 months after graduation.

• 94% of the youth confirmed that the skills gained helped them to improve their incomes and afford two meals daily.

• 64% of the trained groups formed savings and credit schemes.

• Each beekeeping group earns an average income of about 156 Euros per month and saves for future business investments.

A beekeeping association has been founded for bulk marketing and processing of honey.

• As a multiplier effect, non-supported farmers engage leaders of CEO supported

beekeeping groups to coach/train them in beekeeping.

• Vulnerable people diversify their livelihoods: from traditional crop propagation to skilled labour, honey and sheanut processing and value addition.

The way forward ZOA and CCF continue to focus on income generation among youth under the EU funded “Youth and Income in Acholiland” for the period 2013-2015. VTIs are turned into businesses offering short demand driven courses, so they can attract more self sponsored students in the future.

Website: www.zoa-international.com Email: office@zoa.ug

Students during the DIT exam for brick laying and concrete practices

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Enhancing local capacities for self relience project

A

ction Africa Help International is proud to be associated with the European Union as they celebrate this day of th 9 May 2013.

We reflect on the many lives in Kyangwali and Kiryandongo refugee settlement and host communities that have had their livelihoods improved with support from the European Union through the Enhancing Local Capacities for Self Reliance Project.

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The project has been running for the last 26 month and has 10 months to end. Among the achievements of this project is the enhanced capacity of community structures that will remain running in the community after the project phases out. The strong structures

built are the community based extension workers (CBEWs), community livestock auxiliaries (CLAs), and marketing committees (MCs).

CBEWs who were identified among the farmers in the community had their capacity built and have been reaching out to farmers with agricultural extension knowledge and skills within their respective areas on a voluntary basis, advising on crop management, practical demonstrations, conservation agriculture and post-harvest handling.

Over 20,045 farmers have been reached in the last 26 months.

The CLAs have bridged the gap between

wilson milking his cow, he gets an average of 13 litres of milk on a daily basis.

animal management and treatment. Equipped with skills and knowledge in animal management, simple disease identification and treatment, CLAs were equipped with tool kits to support them reach out to over 500 farmers

updated on prices of all crops through posting of information on 30 notice boards in the community and regular sending of phone messages to 2,456 farmers in different groups.

A mid-term evaluation carried out in September 2012 indicated a 50% increase in household food production and marketable surplus of especially wilson off loading maize from after hervesting maize and beans, and 50% of benrearing animals. The animal mortal- from his field eficiary households having diversified ity has greatly reduced with support sources of income. This was greatly from these structures. Many farmers attributed to the introduction of improved are now rearing animals as a result. varieties of seeds like hybrid maize Longe 10H and Longe 6H, increased adoption of MCs have had the responsibility of keeping best agronomic practices, support from the farmers updated with information on prices community based structures and introduction and markets (both local and international) of improved breeds of animals to the comfor their produce. They have trained farmmunity. ers in bulk and collective marketing, which has enabled most farmers keep their produce A total of 289 Boer goats were given out to for better prices. This practice increases the 156 farmers in groups, which have multiplied bargaining power of farmers and hence high and have been passed on to other farmers. prices. The project also kept all farmers

In addition, 46 heifers (75% Frisian crosses) were given out to 46 groups and to date, 26 animals have calves that will be passed on to other members within the respective groups between May and June 2013.

On average each farmer is getting at least 9 litres of milk a day, selling some and using the balance for family consumption, hence improving nutrition. The farm yard manure is used in their back yard gardens.

One of the beneficiaries in Kyangwali, Ms Kabarokore Scovia from Kasonga village, is happy with the support from the project. She received one heifer which calved down, giving her 18 litres of milk, daily. She sells 16 litres every day at 800 Uganda shillings, while the balance is consumed by the family. She says, “When I first received my heifer I was not sure that it will yield all this milk as it was being claimed by the veterinary doctor. When it calved down, I was surprised at the number of litres I was getting from this one animal which

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I do not even get from my other local animals. I now believe that rearing one improved animal is better than keeping 5 local animals�.

She uses the money to meet household needs, while the farm yard manure is kept for her backyard garden. Many such success stories have been registered in both Kyangwali and Kiryandongo.

animals and limited or no knowledge in postharvest handling.

Barongo Wilson, 42 years of age, a farmer in Kyangwali, is a member of Kakoono SACCO in Mahamba west, Butoole parish Kyangwali Sub County. The group to date has 25 members (8 female, 17 male) and was formed in November 2010. They are in the process of registering with the district. Wilson has 2 wives and 12 children of whom 8 are school going.

A number of trainings by both field officers and community based resource persons were held and these included among others, training in agronomic practices, animal management, bulking and collective marketing, group formation, village savings and credit and many others. The project also introduced improved varieties of seeds like hybrid maize Longe 6H and Longe 10H. The group received 200kgs of maize, 1 heifer, 10 local goats, 4 Boer goats and 1 pair of oxen.

When the livelihoods project started in March 2011, the group was hardly one year in existence. They had a number of challenges that included limited skills, limited savings, lack of knowledge in agronomic practices and marketing, poor management of crops and

On registration with the project, they identified maize and pineapple growing, and animal rearing as their enterprises. The field officer identified all the training needs and started them on the journey.

Barongo Wilson benefited as a farmer in this group from the trainings, constructed a local maize crib and hosted the first maize demonstration garden where he learnt skills in

early land preparation, timely planting, early harvesting, and planting in lines. He was also trained in animal husbandry.

In the first season in August 2011, he planted 1 acre of maize and got good harvests. In the second season the group had already acquired oxen to support them in ploughing; he opened up more land and planted 4 acres from which he harvested 4.5 tons of maize which he sold each kilogramme at 500 Uganda shillings and raised 2,475,000 shillings.

He also planted an acre of pineapples but lacked knowledge and skills to manage and maximize profit from the garden. Field staff came in timely and supported him; he has been able to grow more pineapples and to date he has 3 acres. He harvests twice every week and sells his pineapples in two local markets where he earns an average of 250,000 Uganda shillings. However, he uses a motorcycle to transport his pineapples thus incurring high costs.

Being more focused and trustworthy, Wilson was also entrusted by the group to host the heifer and oxen for the group. The heifer calved down and he gets an average of 13 litres of milk every day, he sells 8 litres at 1,000 Uganda shillings each and his household consumes the balance. Out of innovatiion, he has been able to purchase a cart at 250,000 Uganda shillings which he uses for transport. He hires out transport services to group members at subsidized costs and other farmers outside the group. He has been using the cart to transport his maize from the field to the maize crib, transport pineapple suckers to the field for planting, and many farmers within the group and in the community are using the cart. He also employs five people to support him in the gardens. In a period of 16 months, he has realized at least 1,000,000 Uganda shillings.

With his income from all the enterprises, he has been able to buy 20,000 burnt bricks to construct a new permanent house, pay school fees for his 8 school-going children as well

as meeting their basic needs. He has used 450,000 Uganda shillings to prepare the field and buy maize seeds for planting this season.

He has been able to buy drugs to treat his animals.

He has met a number of challenges in this journey including bottlenecks in transportation. His only means of transport to far away markets is a motorcycle which suffers considerable wear and tear from the bad roads in Kyangwali, especially during the rainy season.

Unpredictable seasons, limited storage facilities for his produce and lack of equipment to add value, are the other challenges.

Asked about his future plans, Wilson said‌ “God willing, I want to buy a car for transport, open up at least 10 acres of land for planting maize, build a modern maize crib that is more secure, open up 3 more acres of land to plant more pineapples, build a permanent house for myself and family, educate my children to university level. I would want to also inspire other farmers to work hard

after seeing me develop. Many farmers think they cannot become self-reliant because they did not go to school but we can. I would like to thank GOD for the European Union and Action Africa Help for the generous support given to me and many other farmers in our communities. It has enabled us to achieve our dreams and although not there yet, we strongly believe we shall be there with more support from you. Long live EU and AAHU and please give us more support,� says Wilson, in conclusion.

Plot 72, Ntinda Road, P. O. Box 10501, Kampala - Uganda Tel: 039 2 787 780/ 0414 287 780, Fax: 0414 287 884, Website: www.actionafricahelp.org 93

BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURES AND LIVELIHOODS FOR DEVELOPMENT (BU.I.L.D.) What is BU.I.L.D?

B

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UILD Project is part of a bigger ALREP (Northern Uganda Agricultural Livelihoods Recovery Programme) which is the government of Uganda programme funded by the EUROPEAN UNION through the OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER. The project is intended to renovate and reconstruct malfunctioning productive infrastructures like roads, market stalls, cattle crushes and dams by involving both skilled and unskilled members of the community in labour intensive work. It aims at rebuilding produc-

tive infrastructures in support of farming while increasing farmers’ access to funds and production enhancing tools and technologies. As a result of the increased security and freedom of movement and the beginning of the recovery process in the Northern Region, after a 20 year civil conflict, the Government of Uganda came up with a program in 2010 focusing on the restoration of the productive capacity of farmers, and to strengthen the linkages between agricultural service provision in terms of advice, supplies, processing and access to rural finance.

Cattle crush in Pagen Parish in Kitgum District.

(NDP) and its overall objective is to support the war affected population of Northern Uganda to engage in productive and profitable agricultural and agribusiness activities that ensure food security and increased household income.

Who do we work with and what we do Store in Pawach Parish, Mororto East Village, Agoro Sub-County in Lamwo District.

our target beneficiaries?

Who are

The project targets the extremely vulnerable people and persons with special needs working through already existing agricultural and savings groups, Farmer Field Schools (FFS), community based Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs), in the districts of Kitgum, Lamwo, Pader, and Agago. The program operates within framework of the Peace Recovery and Development Plan (PRDP) and the National Development Programme

In May 2012, AVSI FOUNDATION in partnership with CARITAS, GULU ARCHDIOCESE started the implementation of Building Infrastructures and Livelihoods for Development (B.U.I.L.D.) project to address the need to renovate and reconstruct malfunctioning productive infrastructures such as roads, grain and seeds stores, market stalls, cattle crushes, dams and ponds, which had been abandoned for long time during insurgency/ displacement.

Reducing post harvest losses The rehabilitation of the infrastructures contributes to the project expected results: farming communities’ post-harvest losses

reduced by 30%; communities have adequate, protected and accessible water for production; essential livestock health and management infrastructure are fully functional and community transport infrastructures are operational. During the first phase of the project, a baseline survey was carried out in order to

Market stall, Akworo Parish Akworo Tecwa Village, Amida Sub County, Kitgum District

identify the sites for the intervention. The structures rehabilitated or reconstructed were chosen by the communities through a participatory method.

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Infusing cash into the village economy through - cash for work and voucher The project is covering 12 Sub Counties in Kitgum, Lamwo, Pader and Agago districts and engages community members into providing Labour Intensive Work for constructions in exchange for cash. This action helps to bring some income to households to meet their urgent basic needs.

resources management capacity at the household level or because of the recklessness of some household members.

Although the participation of men in VSLA is still low, VSLA is proving to be effective in increasing the household sav-

Village saving and loans associations as a tool of promoting savings.

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Additionally, some of the cash for work funds are channelled into savings and loan schemes – Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs). Here group members save and access credit to invest in other business enterprises like new technologies and assets for agriculture production. The need for introducing a saving culture in the community is very much felt at all levels; indeed, there are several cases where cash is mismanaged because of a lack of

Payment of Labour force in Madi Opei Sub County,Lamwo District.

Community meeting in Layamo Sub County, Kitgum District

ings. Through community dialogues and discussions, we encourage the participation of men to join the saving groups. In our current and forthcoming engagements with the saving groups, we discuss the productive use of the money saved within the groups to minimize wastage and encourage well thought and planned investment.

Equitable and sustainable access to safe water, improved sanitation and hygiene for poor communities in post-conflict areas in Uganda

W

aterAid is an international NGO that has been operating in Uganda since 1983, implementing activities that ensure sustainable access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education.

This is achieved through working in partnership with a number of development partners including the European Union.

Currently, WaterAid Uganda with support from European Union is implementing a five year programme titled “Equitable and sustainable access to safe water, improved sanitation and hygiene for poor communities in postconflict areas of Uganda” worth €2.744m targeting 110,986 direct beneficiaries. By the end of project implementation 36,786 com-

munity members of the total beneficiary will have improved access to safe water and 74,200 have access to adequate sanitation facilities at household, institutions and hygiene education activities.

Project Description: This project that commenced in 2011 is designed to contribute to the recovery and development plan for the poor, underserved and marginalized communities in north east Uganda who have been affected by more than two decades of armed conflict perpetuated by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a conflict that ended by 2006 and the intertribal conflicts instigated by the Karamojong cattle rustlers. This prompted Government of Uganda to announce, in 2007 a return and

resettlement program for Internally Displaced People (IDPs), and also to develop a rehabilitation and reconstruction framework for those affected by the conflict. Masindi district though not greatly affected by these conflicts is targeted by the project because it is a host to many people displaced by conflicts and natural calamities in the country.

Project Goal The project goal is to contribute to the achievement of MDGs on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Uganda. Targeting 21 poor and excluded post conflict-affected sub-counties in the districts of Masindi (Bwijanga, Budongo), Pallisa and Kibuku (Tirinyi, Bulangira, Ogule, Gogonyo), Napak ( Iriir, Lorengecorwa), Amuria (Apeduru,

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Acowa, Asamuk, Kapelebyong, Morungatuny, Orungo, Wera) and Katakwi (Katakwi, Magoro, Ngariam, Omodoy, Ongongoja, Usuk), in mid-western and north-eastern Uganda have increased, equitable and sustainable access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services by 2015.

Project Implementation:

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To maximise the project impact as well as influencing policy and practice at different levels, WaterAid is implementing the project with the following NGO partners: Wera Development Agency (WEDA), Church of Uganda- Teso Diocese Development Organisation (CoU -TEDDO), Health through Water & Sanitation Programme (HEWASA) and Karamoja Agro-Pastoral Development Programme (KADP). Each of these implementing partners are working closely with their district local governments and communities, bringing area specific expertise and approaches that are best suited to the specific targeted communities to ensure sustainability of the water and sanitation investments put in place.

Results to date: Over the past two years of the project implementation, significant results have been achieved even beyond the five year planned targets, mainly due to the postconflict nature of some settlements where water facilities are serving more people than the national recommended population.

In regard to sanitation and hygiene improvement, the project has employed the Umoja approach – a community led sanitation and hygiene improvement approach that builds on the strength of Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation (PHAST) and the Household Cluster system in mobilising communities to accelerate community action in scaling up sanitation and hygiene improvements.

To date 38, 926 people are accessing safe water supplies and 108,887 poor and underserved are using improved sanitation facilities as well as practising good hygiene.

A total of 41 new boreholes have been in-

stalled, 17 institutional latrines constructed, 24 Ferro cement tanks of 10,000 litre capacity, 34 rain water harvesting jars (each with 2000 litre capacity) have been constructed, 2 spring wells were protected and 2 hand dug wells constructed.

Using the Umoja approach, in 2012, a total of 200 communities have been supported to improve their sanitation and hygiene conditions and 8 of these have been declared open defecation free. As a result, total of 88,413 (42,581 males and 45,832 females) people have abandoned open defecation and resorted to use of traditional pit latrines and practice hand washing wish soap after visiting their latrines.

To sustain the water and sanitation investments in the project area, 200 hygiene educators, 1,058 cluster heads, 18 school sanitation clubs and 39 water, sanitation and hygiene committees have been trained in management of WASH facilities, roles and responsibilities and preventive maintenance.

Seven women groups have also been trained in construction of rainwater harvesting facilities.

At district level, three District Water Officers, three District Health Inspectors, three District Health Assistants and 41 Pump Mechanics from Amuria, Katakwi and Masindi) were trained in the use of mobile phone technology to monitor and improve the functionality of water sources. In addition, the technical staff from District Water Offices were trained on drilling supervision, community based water resources management: The project has strongly increased awareness on the right to water and sanitation among

the target population, enhanced stronger coordination between District Local Governments, implementing NGOs and the beneficially community. The project has also supported the implementation of community dialogue, drama shows and radio programmes all these aimed at amplifying community voices for accountable and transparent actions from their local leaders and WASH service providers.

Conclusion and future plans Access to safe water and sanitation underpins all aspects of human development and investing in them will accelerate progress in health, education and economic productivity.

WaterAid and all her partners with gratitude acknowledge the support from the European Union. This generous contribution has enabled us reach many people in the underserved post conflict districts above to access sustainable safe water, sanitation and hygiene education.

The project will continue to support improved coordination among water and sanitation actors in the districts of operation,

advocate and support for the prioritisation of sustainable WASH at all levels, contribute to strengthening national and local community capacities for management, coordination, monitoring and research in sustainable WASH service delivery. WaterAid Uganda is to continue leveraging resources and partnerships to scale up investments and cost effective approaches and technologies to ensure sanitation and water for all in Uganda.

WaterAid in Uganda, Plot 90, Luthuli Avenue, Bugolobi, P.O. Box 11759, Kampala, Uganda, Tel: +256 414 505795/7, Email: wauganda@wateraid.org; Web: www.wateraid.org 99

S k il ls D e ve lo p m e n t fo r Pove r t y R e d u c t io n

T

here are two projects implemented by Swisscontact with financial support of the European Union.

A vision that values vocational skills Swisscontact envisions a Uganda where vocational skills are recognised for the contribution they make to the economy, where young

Swisscontact

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Swisscontact is an international NGO founded more than 50 years ago by representatives of the Swiss Private Sector. Today, more than 500 employees in 24 countries are still committed to the initially formulated vision that private economic activity is one of the major driving forces in the fight against poverty. In Uganda, Swisscontact is active since 1997 and currently runs a project portfolio of seven different projects four of which are in the area of skills development.

Hairdressing training in Ntinda

people are valued for their skills, whether they are learnt in a formal or informal setting.

In this vision, young people who have faced great difficulties in their childhood have the opportunity to build themselves a better future, by accessing training in practical skills that the economy requires, enter stable and gainful employment, work their way out of poverty and beyond, all the while playing their part in making Uganda a more prosperous country for all.

TsTe – Transitional Skills Training for Em-

The meeting with stakeholders and beneficiaries in Teso

ployment (Project 1) In the last 20 years, Teso has experienced a number of calamities just like most parts of Northern Uganda. It first suffered massive cattle raids. This was followed by a civil conflict that displaced thousands of people into Internally Displaced People’s (IDP) camps for at least 10 years. This was again followed by recurrent droughts that affected agricultural harvests as populations tried to settle back to their villages to open up their farms after the war. In 2007, Teso experienced floods and water logging situation almost throughout the

Sub Region. These too caused massive losses to agricultural production. These recurrent calamities pushed most households in Teso to poverty situation leading to massive school drop outs.

TsTe – Transitional Skills Training for Employment is a three year project co-funded by the European Union. It started its activities in October 2010 and targets the Tesoregion that comprises the districts of Amuria, Bukedea, Katakwi, Kumi, Kaberamaido and Soroti.

Transitional Skills Training for Employment provide an opportunity for low cost and efficient skills development. It encourages future prospects for the new generation of youth and interested young adults to integrate into the local economy and earn a livelihood.

The TsTe project targets demand-driven nonformal skills development fully embedded within the existing structure of the vocational training system. The focus is on providing skills trainings that are tailored to market realities, including technical training aimed

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still doing apprenticeship.

“Participants have more food that is more diverse and more often, even in time in shortage”.

at building and upgrading skills in marketable trades.

Furthermore, strengthening of business and management skills will receive particular attention in the development of trade specific training modules.

Within the three years, more than 800 youths shall be trained in marketable skills in the region.

The operational approach uses the private sector for non-formal skills development in line with local government’s priorities aimed at poverty reduction. Ultimately, the trained youth will be accredited through the workers PAS system.

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Swisscontact intends to achieve this goal in partnership with Ugandan Association of Private Training Providers (UGAPRIVI) and in close collaboration with the private sector service providers, local governments, local

A farmer in Kaberamaido district.

NGOs and the targeted communities.

The main achievements • 622 learners have completed their vocational training in year one of intervention.

• Trades covered include; vegetable growing, blacksmithing, briquette making, tailoring, hair dressing, phone repair, agro-forestry, mushroom growing, poultry production, apiary, car washing and bakery.

• 512 are already employed and others are

Youth are earning income and their status has changed in terms of assets, food security, and nutrition. Many married women who have graduated from TSTE training and are now employed, testify that they are now respected by their spouses and are able to make a contribution to address their household needs.

Other notable livelihood improvements are the changing status of these young people in their communities and in the eyes of the stakeholders in the local economy. This is contributing to the ongoing peace-building process. This accomplishment would not have been possible if the project hadn’t ensured local community, government and business involvement in the delivery of the project from the beginning and throughout.

Let the Worker’s PAS show what you can! (Project 2)

F

or some,it’s the degree transcript, for others, it’s the diploma. Today in Uganda, there is a new option for people who only had non-formal training –They can get the Worker’s PAS. The Worker’s PAS (Practically Acquired Skills) validates skills acquired informally whether at the garage, on construction site or in a workshop.

The Worker’s PAS is helping many people to get official recognition of the skills that they acquired in a non-formal training (as often organized by NGOs), through learning by doing and on the job.

People in trades like mechanics, carpentry, hair-dressing, tailoring, plumbing or welding often miss employment oppor-

The Worker’s PAS booklets.

tunities in formal organisations, factories or enterprises due to the absence of proof that they can do that particular work.This is the case although some of them have accumulated vast experience in their occupation for years.

Formal recognition of non-formal skills Now, it is possible for people with practical skills to get formal recognition,as long as they pass thepractical assessment tests set by the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT)of the Minister of Education and Sports. The Worker’s PAS qualification is completed by taking part in practical competence tests where acquired skills are demonstrated in authentic work assignments in a real-life working environment. The tests – often conducted at the workshop of the Worker’s PAS candidate - are observed by occupational experts and accredited assessors of DIT. Since the beginning of 2012, more than 1,200 candidates were tested and the corresponding Worker’s PAS have been issued.

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With the financial support of the European Unionand in direct partnership with the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT), Ugandan Association of Private Vocational Institutes (UGAPRIVI), Ugandan Association of Small Scale Industries (USSIA) and Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) Swisscontact facilitated the development of key strategies and processes of this new accreditation system, built up the management capacity of staff and partner organisations involved andled the installation of the necessary IT backbone to capture the amount of data generated during assessments. Swisscontact interprets its role as a facilitator to make existing collaborations more effective or establish new partnerships for the sake of a pro-poor economic growth.

Strong Public-Private Partnerships

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In order to successfully facilitate employment and income opportunities for

Assesments of welders.

the Worker’s PAS holder the acceptance of the Worker’s PAS certification in the Public but particularly in the Private Sector is the key factor. The Private sector must recognise the assessment system; trust in its quality and the documented skills of the Worker’s PAS holder. Swisscontact facilitates this process and works with the government bodies – the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT) and the Industrial Train-

Ambassador Dr.Roberto Ridolfi meets Hon. Mirembe Bitamazire, the former Minister for Education.

ing Council (ITC) – and representatives of the private sector – Ugandan Association of Private Training Providers (UGAPRIVI), Uganda Small Scale Industries Association (USSIA), and the

Group of hairdressers in Kampala receive their worker’s PAS.

Private Sector Foundation of Uganda (PSFU) to develop key strategies and processes.

Main Achievements Until today, more than 1,200 candidates were tested and acquired the Worker’s PAS in trades such as tailoring, hairdressing, mechanics, carpentry and welding in order order to demonstrate their skills to potential employers and clients

Kampala - who confirms that he gets a higher salary than his colleagues because of the Worker’s PAS while Loy, a Hairdresser in a small village near Mukono,tells that the community recognizes her after passing the tests successfully. She found employment in a saloon and she even trains two students today since the community trusts in her competences. Apart from the economic benefits,all the stories have in common that the Worker’s PAS boosts the self-confidence of the individual owner.

while other trades are in the pipeline.

After less than one year since the first Worker’s PAS has been issued, the success stories become more and more visible like Famba Mudasiru, an USSIA member and motorcycle mechanic in Bugiri, who testified that, “I usually don’t get government jobs. When I put my bids there, they asked for my certificate. Now Worker’s PAS will do it.” or Ignatius, a young Hairdresser in

Should you be interested about TsTe and the worker’s PAS project. Contact us under Swisscontact Uganda, P.O.Box 21153 Kampala, Tel: 0414 222 431, Email: info@swisscontact.co.ug; 105

EPA TAPSS

ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT RELATED TRADE AND PRIVATE SECTOR SUPPORT PROGRAMME The Economic Partnership Agreement Related Trade and Private Sector Support (EPA TAPSS) Programme: Unwinding the Four Years of the Programme

The

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EPA TAPSS is a four-year European Union funded Program under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (MTIC). The design of the Programme, which is funded under the 10th European Development Fund (EDF), started in 2007, and the Financing Agreement was signed on 14th July 2009. The Overall Objective of the Programme is to enhance the capacity of MTIC to fulfill its mandate with respect to the trade sector, and enabling the country to develop sufficient capacity to exploit the trade opportunities available under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) and

the different regional trade agreements. Over its lifetime, the Programme has pursued two Specific Objectives: • To bolster the capacity of MTIC to spearhead the development of the country’s trade sector, and the creation of an enabling business environment for private sector development • To increase the ability of Uganda’s products to conform to international quality standards and to strengthen the enforcement of such standards {focus is on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) requirements} In the context of pursuing the set Objectives,

the Program has five Result Areas: • Institutional strengthening of MTIC/ strengthening linkages between production and trade/domestic trade development • Regulatory and institutional reforms to streamline the trading process (trade law reforms) • Effective management of the trade negotiations process • Trade Facilitation; producing trade-related information and making it accessible to users, and • Improvement of quality standards and compliance with SPS requirements

The listed Program Beneficiaries are: the public sector, notably the Department of External Trade and Department of Internal Trade in MTIC; Policy implementation agencies of MTIC such as Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) and Uganda Export Promotion Board (UEPB); Other public sector agencies whose mandates hinge on/impact on the

Hon Amelia, Hon Mutende, EU delegation’s Thomas Millar and Amb. Julius Onen at the 2012 Sector Review

objectives of the Programme; Partnering Local Government Authorities; the private sector; the academia; the civil society; and the media. Overall, EPA TAPSS facilitates implementation of Government of Uganda and Private Sector activities that fall within the Programme’s Objectives and Result Areas

EPA TAPSS accomplishments to date Since implementation of the Programme began in earnest in February 2010, several accomplishments have been registered. This Section highlights the key achievements by Result Area.

The overall aim of Result Area 1 is creating a strong institutional framework in which

private sector and productive sector supportive trade policies are formulated and implemented. It seeks to link the productive sectors of the economy such as Agriculture and Industry to the market through trade.

Implementation of this Result Area has followed a holistic approach, involving the local governments, central government, and the private sector. Under this Result Area, the Programme has held training sessions for 91 districts1 (435 officials) on integrating trade development into the district development planning process; developed and disseminated Policy Guidelines for the Supervision of, and Reporting by District Commercial Offices to all the districts; supported the Ministry’s capacity building efforts by sponsoring post graduate training of four MTIC officers in International Trade Policy and Law, and other officers for specialized short courses; popularized the National Trade Policy and the National Trade Sector Development Plan and funded implementation of key aspects of the Policy/Plan; undertaken policy research/ 108

1 21 districts (98 officials) had been trained by the predecessor project, TSEPAF; hence, all the 112 districts (533 officials) have now been trained.

studies to inform policy decisions at MTIC, e.g. identification and mitigation of internal Non-Tariff Barriers to trade.

In addition, the Programme has facilitated efforts towards full operationalization of the Sector Working Group (SWG) through funding sector stakeholder consultations (hosting the National Trade Sector Review Conferences - Oct 2010, Sept 2011, Sept 2012; as well as wider Trade, Industry and Cooperatives Sector Reviews); conduct of a study on best practices on Sector Working Groups to inform operationalisation of the Trade, Tourism SWG; and provision of District Commercial Extension Services in five districts on a pilot basis.)

Result Area 2 of the Programme primarily aims at easing the doing business environment in Uganda, and activities under this Result Area mainly relate to commercial law reform as well as formulation of trade facilitating laws at local government level. Under this Result Area, the EPA TAPSS assisted the MTIC to engage the Ministry of Infor-

Hon. Amelia mation & Communication Kyambadde and Technology (MICT) and Na- H.E Roberto Ridolfi handover equipment to tional Information Technology five pilot districts and UNBS. The equipAuthority- Uganda (NITA-U) the ment was procured by EPA TAPSS to operationalise the cyber laws, which are essential for e-commerce (e -Signatures, eTransactions, Computer Misuse) through development of Regulations under the laws. In

in the five pilot districts (Adjuman, Kamuli, Jinja, Mbarara, and Luwero) on the ordinances and bye-law making process to enable them pass trade facilitating bye-laws and ordinances in their areas of jurisdiction.

addition, the Programme has facilitated the process of developing the Anti-counterfeiting Goods Bill, the Competition Bill, the Consumer Protection Bill, the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Bill, and the Intellectual Property and Innovation Policy. In order to ensure that districts also pass trade facilitating bye-laws, the Programme has trained LC-V and LC-III District Local Council officials

Result Area 3 supports Government’s engagement in trade negotiations. Focus is on regional integration (EAC, COMESA, EAC/COMESA/SADC Tripartite FTA), the EPAs, and the World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations. Under the Result Area, the Programme has supported the Ministry to undertake various studies to inform the negotiations process. Some of the notable studies include, inter alia, one on whether Uganda should join the COMESA Free Trade Area, development of Uganda’s Market Access Request and Offer under the Tripartite Free Trade Area. In addition, support has been extended to MTIC to consult with stakeholders by facilitating consultative preparatory meetings on trade negotiations aspects such as the COMESA, WTO, EPAs and several bilateral. The Programme has held debriefing sessions with the Uganda

Manufacturers Association (UMA) and the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) on Rules of Origin negotiations under the EPAs, the EAC and the EAC/COMESA/ SADC Tripartite FTA. To ensure sustainability of the negotiations capacity in the country, the Programme has focused on building the capacity of the National Trade Negotiations Team through stocking the Ministry’s Resource Centre with relevant materials and equipment such as computers and running training for the Team which was delivered by Trade Law Centre (Tralac)–South Africa.

To cap it up, the Programme has supported members of the National Trade Negotiations Team to attend the EAC-EU/EPA Negotiations, EAC negotiations, COMESA, EAC/ COMESA/SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area, WTO negotiations as well as bilateral negotiations. In this way, significant contribution has been in creating market access for Uganda’s goods and services.

Result Area 4 focuses on trade facilitation/ producing trade related information and making it accessible to users, and removal of

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Non Tariff Barriers (NTBs). Under this Result Area, the Programme has designed and distributed brochures on the EAC Common Market to enable the private sector get more information about how to take advantage of the Common Market; and published a Newspaper supplement on the same subject; published an Exporters’ Handbook to guide Small and Medium Enterprises on the exporting process; and trained the business community on Export Management and Export Procedures under various trading arrangements. Aware of the importance of conforming to laws and regulations in engaging in international trade, the Programme uploaded trade laws on the MTIC website (http://www.mtic.go.ug/index.php/tradelaws.html). In addition, the Programme has worked closely with the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) in implementing activities related to the ‘Proudly Ugandan’ Campaign 2010 & 2011 aimed at promoting locally produced Ugandan products; and facilitated the PSFU-organized annual Trade Facilitation Expo in 2010, 2011 and 2012 aimed disseminating trade information.

Information on trade license rates has been widely disseminated to the business community and local governments.

With respect to identification and removal of NTBs, the Programme has facilitated activities of the National NTB Monitoring Committee to identify and remove existing NTBs, by, inter alia, supporting Committee meetings, providing a mechanism for NTB complaint collection at selected boarder post locations, conducting verification missions by road –Kampala-Mombasa, and Kampala-Kigali. The Report of the verification mission informed the bilateral meetings of the Uganda-Rwanda Trade Ministers which culminated in the signing of Memoranda of Understanding by the Government of Uganda and the Government of Rwanda in the areas of Elimination of Non-Tariff Barriers existing in the two countries, Cross Border Trade Development, Promotion of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development. In addition, the Programme facilitates members of the NTB National Monitoring Committee to partici-

pate in the NTBs Regional Forum and the EAC meetings of the Committee for Trade, Industry and Investment under which removal of NTBs affecting trade in the region is discussed.

The fifth Result Area aims at strengthening the standards environment and mechanisms for implementation of SPS measures.

Implementation has mainly focused on Public awareness on SPS and Micro, Small

and Medium Enterprise (MSME) development. Subsequently, the Programme has undertaken the design of a Communication/ Public Awareness Strategy on Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures, and printed and disseminated SPS messages to the general public.

On MSME development, the Programme works with the UNBS to train and mentor enterprises in selected value chains (fruit juices, wine, honey, confectionary, dairy & dairy products, cereals and grains) to enable

them meet the quality certification requirements. The associated costs are offset by the EPA TAPSS/UNBS collaboration. To facilitate and hasten this process, the Programme has helped to create an MSME Desk at the UNBS, with the two pioneering Officers being hired by the EPA TAPSS. So far 379 entrepreneurs from 307 enterprises across the country have been trained in Good Manufacturing Practices and Good Hygienic Practices: follow-up mentoring visits have been held. In addition, the Programme has undertaken a study on Needs Assessment for Public Agencies involved in the formulation and implementation of SPS measures and the requirements for capacity building, and drawn an Action Plan based on the study to ensure that key aspects are implemented.

Subsequently, the Programme is working in conjunction with Makerere University School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bioengineering to train food processors, inspectors, and distributors in food and feed safety (EPA TAPSS/UNBS staff during one of the MSME field mentorship visits)

aspects. Over two hundred enterprises have been trained. Improvement of the capacity of UNBS is also one of the accomplishments of the Programme; reference standards, laboratory equipment/consumables and a vehicle to improve UNBS operations have been procured for the UNBS. As the Programme comes closer to the end, it is important that the momentum and interest that have been generated are sustained.

The Economic Partnership Agreement Related Trade and Private Sector Support (EPA TAPSS) Programme.

5th Floor, Farmers House, Parliament Avenue P. O. Box 29901, Kampala-Uganda Tel: +256 414 232 864 Fax: +256 414 232 820 Email: epatapss@amtic.go.ug

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Message from the publisher

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which coordinates all It is now five years and counting EU assistance in the of the EU-Uganda Cooperation country, in the annual magazine since we were first enpublication of this trusted with the task of producing magazine. the maiden 2008 issue as the offiFor this issue, once again cial publication of the EU-Uganda we worked very closely partnership.

NAO and EU with For us at HAI agency, this is both unications departcomm a very interesting and challenging ment in covering various task of bringing you news and Justin K Ojangole projects across the land, Publisher information on various projects especially in Karamoja supported by the EU-Uganda Cooperand Northern Uganda, including KALIP, ation around the country that are positively ALREP and the Road Sector projects, touching the lives of communities – which among others. range from community projects bringing water and seeds to areas recovering from In the same vein, we thank the EU for the scale large to hts the effects of war or droug continued assistance to Uganda and also roads rn infrastructure projects such as mode for the trust to continue working with HAI linking Uganda to regional road networks Agency to highlight the importance and rialindust rt suppo to tion genera and power achievements the technical and financial ization. assistance to the Government of Uganda the lives of Ugandans By this token, we would like to take this in the effort to uplift ed socio-economsustain and to bring about opportunity to appreciate the generous ic progress. support and cooperation we have had over the years and we continue to get We also take this opportunity to thank e, Offic rising Autho nal Natio the from the various EU projects’ and programmes’

implementing partners who are always more than ready to avail information on their activities and how they are impacting communities in their areas of operation.

On this note we want to express our happiness to Emmanuel Iyamulemye Niyibigira, Reint Bakema, Taylor Alastair of KALIP/ ALREP, Martin Muwereza of DGAP, Shay Cameo RCC’s Managing Director, Bueno Dickens Sande Project Manager SPGS, Communications department of UNRA, Uganda Road Fund, the staff of ASARECA and Emmanuel Mutahunga of EPA TAPSS. We further want to thanks the cordial corporation we received from UNHCR, British Council, ZAO International, WaterAid, AAH, AVIS, Swisscontact, and GIZ And finally, we want to thank you the readers of this magazine for continuing to follow with interest the information carried in this publication.

Justin K Ojangole Coordinator

REYNOLDS CONSTRUCTION COMPANY (NIG) LTD

RCC wishes the EU Head of Delegation & the European Union Member states in Ugnada a Happy Europe Day

We take Pride in being a partner in the Roads Development Programs Financed by the European Union Road Projects Financed by the EU and constructed by RCC: • Kagamba-Rukungiri (35 km) - completed • Jinja-Bugiri (83 km) - completed • Masaka-Mbarara , Masaka-Kyotera (154.5 km) - ongoing • Mbarara-Ntungamo-Kabale-Katuna Lot 2 and Lot 3 (124 km)

Plot 88 Luthuli Avenue, Bugolobi, P.O Box 11713 Kampala, Uganda Tel: 0312-500 500, Fax: 0414-234 362 Email: sbi@sbi.co.ug, Website: www.sbi.co.ug