Preparations into the 11th International Conference on Community-Based Adaptation (CBA11) to climate change are complete. The Conference is being organized by the  International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), Uganda’s Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE), Makerere University Centre for Climate Change Research and Innovations (MUCCRI) and the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD).

The conference which started with field visits on 22nd -25th June 2017 will be officially opened on 26th June 2017 at the Royal Suites Hotel Bugolobi Kampala under the theme, “Harnessing natural resources and ecosystems for adaptation”.

The conference is expected to attract about 200 International participants and 100 Local participants focusing on empowering communities to use their own knowledge and decision making processes to take action on climate change.

As part of the conference, a parallel Youth Conference is scheduled to take place on 28th – 29th June 2017 at Hotel Africana in Kampala. The theme of the Youth conference is, ” Enhancing  the ability of youth to build ecosystem resilence”.

The aim of the CBA conference is to: Share and consolidate the latest developments in CBA best practices, policy and theory across different sectors and countries; Strengthen existing networks of practitioners, policymakers, planners and donors working on CBA at all levels and; Enhance the capacity of practitioners, governments and donors to help those most vulnerable to climate change.

The overall events will take 7 days. The main conference is preceded by field visits to local organizations working with vulnerable communities in various parts of the country from 22 – 25 June, 2017.  The field visits will take place in projects that are helping local communities to adapt to Climate Change. The visits will showcase projects in a variety of ecosystems across Uganda, ranging from drought and flood-prone areas, through to forest locations.

A total of (4) organizations have offered to host groups of 15- 20 delegates each for a period of 2 days. 75 participants registered and they will visiting  4 field sites.  2 of them from NGOs (Kikandwa Environmental Association Mityana) and 2 from government (Rakai  Masaka area & Mubende Nakasongola).

The formal conference will start with opening session on day one (26th June, 2017), to be officiated by high level representatives from government (Rt. Hon. Prime Minister, Hon. Minister for Water and Environment, Hon. Minister of State for Environment, Vice Chancellor Makerere University etc), Development Partners and Civil Society Organizations.  

On the first day of the conference, Government will host a dinner for high level dignitaries to interact with the international participants. Although government will be the official host, IIED will finance the cost of the dinner.

Conference organisation and management
Following a briefing meeting between Makerere University (ERICCA/MUCCRI),IIED and Ministry of Water and Environment on 31st August, 2016 that was Chaired by the PS/MWE, it was agreed that Mr.Charles Esimu Okuraja (Under Secretary) and Mr. Joseph Epitu (Assistant Commissioner Sector Capacity Development) are the CBA11 link persons at MWE, while Prof. Bernard Bashaasha (Principal College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences) and Dr. Revocatus Twinomuhangi (MUCCRI Coordinator) are the link persons for Makerere University.

The National Organising Committee was constituted under the Chairmanship of Mr. Charles Esimu Okuraja (Undersecretary – MWE), and Prof. Bernard Bashaasha (Principal College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences) as the Co-Chairperson. The NoC has been meeting regularly (twice every month) since 28th February 2017. Relevant Sub committees were constituted to support the process.

To complement the work of the NoC, IIED has engaged a small team of event managers to coordinate the process at the international level, including day to day engagements with the NoC.

The NoC has undertaken the overall liaison and coordination within Uganda and provided support to the IIED Secretariat in the overall organization and management of the conference. The Ugandan NoC has been responsible for the management of all assignments in Uganda in terms of preparation or realization of the conference and of all issues of representation of Uganda within the conference.

The conference is largely financed by IIED. However, the hosting institutions (MAK and MWE) were required to meet the cost of local organizing preparations, such as allowances for the National Organizing Committee (NoC) and locally invited high level dignitaries, conference fees for the local delegates, transport expenses for the high level local dignitaries and delegates, hosting of the youth conference that is to be held on the sidelines of the CBA.

About the CBA
The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and partners created the International Community Based Adaptation (CBA) conferences to highlight that effective adaptation to climate change takes place at community level. A bottom-up approach to adaptation enables local knowledge and practices to be shared among communities, academics and project managers so that those most exposed to the impacts of climate change are better able to adapt.

Since 2005, nine (9) International CBA conferences have been held in different countries including Bangladesh, Kenya Nepal, Tanzania and Vietnam. Past CBA conferences have focused on scaling up best practice, ensuring a scientific basis to action, communicating and mainstreaming CBA, and ensuring adaptation funding reaches community level.

The ninth and most recent conference was held in Nairobi, Kenya, 24-30 April 2015, in partnership with the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) and was hosted by the Government of Kenya.

The – CBA10 conference was held in Dhaka, Bangaldesh from 22-28 April 2016  on the theme 'Enhancing Urban Community Resilience'.

Having participated in the ninth International CBA Conference (CBA9) in Nairobi Kenya in April 2015, Makerere University and other Government of Uganda delegates became interested in hosting the eleventh CBA Conference (CBAll) in Uganda. Makerere University offered a proposal to host CBA11 in Kampala – Uganda in June 2017.

Regarding Financing, IIED in partnership with the Ministry of Water and Environment and Makerere University fundraised and managed funding and logistics.  The Ministry and the university started local planning for the Conference with support from lIED. Both institutions worked closely with IIED to construct an appropriate Conference programme and identify participants.

Report Compiled by;
Jane Anyango;
Communication Officer,
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), Makerere University