Business & Management
EfD Takes Research findings to Parliament: Advocates for Regulatory and Policy Framework to Support Transition to Clean Energy for Households
A team of researchers from Makerere University Centre for Environment for Development Initiative (EfD-Mak Center) on Friday 3rd May 2024 went to Parliament to share study findings on Uganda’s heavy reliance on fuel wood and charcoal to guide the country and, in particular Members of Parliament in their policy formulation.
Research fellows Prof. Edward Bbaale, Dr. Peter Babyenda, Dr. John Sseruyange, and Dr. Nick Kilimani undertook a study titled, “Promoting Inclusive Clean Energy Transition in Uganda: Evidence, Challenges and Policy Options”.
The team studied people’s perceptions of cooking energy systems in Uganda, through a document review and Focused Group Discussions, their level of knowledge about the possible effects of using energy systems, the challenges they face when using various energy systems, and their suggestions for promoting the use of clean energy.
Findings indicated an over-reliance on biomass across the country with charcoal being the major energy source in the low-income suburbs of Kampala. Evidence also points to the inherent fear of electricity and liquid petroleum gas, weak awareness, and poor regulatory systems to be the leading obstacles to an energy transition process.
The team, led by the Centre Director, Prof. Edward Bbaale, who is also Director of Research and Graduate Training at Makerere University interfaced with the Members of Parliament on the Committee of Environment and Natural Resources. Bbaale presented on, “Biomass Dependence and Green Transitions: Implications for Policy”.
“Parliament is a very important arm of government, responsible making laws, performing oversight role and therefore our research findings must be shared with them so that they use the information that we have generated through research for them to do their legislative function better.
“Makerere is a research intensive University but at the same time, the main objective of the current strategic plan is to generate as much research as possible. But number two, is to package this research and market it and share it with the rest of the country so that it can be useful and cause a policy and behavior change”, Prof. Bbaale justified the meeting.
Sharing the issue of green transitions, especially in the area of energy transitions in different sectors, as critical, Bbaale told MPs that over 3 billion people globally depend on biomass for energy which exacerbates climate change, forest loss, water scarcity and land degradation.
With a projection of the rise in the Global population from 8.1 to 9.8 billion by 2050, Bbaale decried that more than 700 million people survive on less than $2.15 daily which leads to increased reliance on biomass.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, the professor said over 900 million people use biomass for cooking while Uganda has high reliance on biomass with 85% of the households using firewood, 13% using charcoal .
Charcoal burning and firewood collection according to Bbaale is partly responsible for Uganda’s rapid declining forests cover. Uganda’s Forest cover dropped from 20.4% in 1990 to 9% in 2015, driven by energy needs. Currently forest cover stands at 13.3%. Other factors like logging, farming and development also contribute to forest loss.
Bbaale also informed parliamentarians that heavy dependence on biomass energy poses health risks particularly to women and children. Household Air Pollution, according to Bbaale affects over 20 million Ugandans, causing 13,000 deaths annually, with women and children bearing the brunt.
“…firewood and charcoal are dirty sources of energy. Respiratory diseases, eye diseases, and others can be attributed to the household air pollution, but as a result of cooking, we also contribute to the bigger greenhouse gas emissions, then we see climate change manifest in extreme weather conditions like prolonged drought spells, floods and very heavy rainfall beyond the normal, and this has far-reaching effects on our economy and environment”, He explained.
Bbaale informed the committee about the social economic implications of high dependence on biomass. He said, wood fuel collection distresses child schooling in rural areas as children lose time collecting wood fuel, affecting their education.
Economically, Bbaale told Members of Parliament that dependence on biomass as an energy source impedes on female labor force participation. Ugandan rural women Bbaale reported spend 9.1 hours per week on fuelwood collection, compared to 2.5 hours for men, hence reduces womens’ time for employment and education and this perpetuates gender inequalities in the labor market
In addition to increasing Green House Gas emissions, Bbaale explained that heavy reliance on Biomass increases Uganda’s vulnerability to climate shocks. Uganda is highly vulnerable to climate shocks and ranks 13th position out of 192 countries in terms of vulnerability with low capacity to deal with climate change effects ̶ 160th/192.
Green Transitions
The Director proposed an economy free from fossil fuels, sustainable consumption of natural resources, less biomass energy dependence and low-carbon solutions as stipulated in Uganda’s Vision 2040 and NDP III and the Nationally Determined Contributions – a climate action plan to cut emissions and adapt to climate impacts.
Within Energy, Bbaale expressed the need to increase the use of renewable energy, improve efficiency of biomass production and use, encourage industrial fuel switching, increased energy access for households and promote cleaner cooking technologies.
Noting that Uganda’s Gross National Income per capita is $930 and close to World Bank’s Lower Middle-Income Status ($1,086), Bbaale said the energy ladder indicates a delayed transition towards clean energy.
With 85% households relying on firewood, 13% depending on charcoal and only 2% using clean energy sources like gas or electricity, Bbaale attributed the delayed transition to challenges mainly availability, affordability, reliability, efficiency, and cultural considerations.
In terms of availability, the Professor told the committee that about half of Uganda’s population has access to any form of electricity largely due to the rural electrification program with a number of households not connected to the grid due to high costs and selective distribution of electricity lines.
Bbaale also reported that whereas the National LPG Supply Infrastructure Development and Promotion targets improving the LPG supply, storage and demand the main gaps include high initial costs, limited refilling centers especially in rural areas, high refilling costs and counterfeits.
In terms of reliability, Parliamentarians heard that only 24% of Ugandans have access to more than 4 hours of electricity per day with inadequate voltage in some areas and limited LPG refill centers.
Policy recommendations
Prof. Bbaale tabled recommendations on infrastructure development, financial incentives, sensitisation and awareness raising, capacity building and technical assistance as well as regulatory and policy framework.
On infrastructure development, Bbaale implored government to invest in expanding electricity grids to reach remote rural areas, establish even distribution LPG refilling centers, develop energy storage infrastructure for reliable power supply from renewable sources and, address rural electrification challenges such as connection costs and distribution issues.
Speaking on financial incentives, the professor asked government to provide subsidies and grants to reduce initial and refilling costs, offer low-interest loans for affordable clean energy technologies, implement tax incentives to encourage clean energy investments especially by the private sector and also provide flexible payment plans or pay-as-you-go schemes for clean energy systems to improve accessibility for financially constrained rural populations.
“We must go green and if we must green our economy, a very big part of it is energy transitions. And the question is, what are the alternative sources that are cleaner? It is electricity, it is LPG. And then will the households afford?
“And as a result we are saying, legislators play an oversight function, they come up with the rules and regulations that govern our country. What can be done, for example, to make clean energy sources affordable? Let Members of Parliament think about some financial incentives, maybe some very cheap loans, advocate for subsidies from government, can be to increase their availability by encouraging the private sector by reducing taxes that overburden them to do business” Bbaale explained.
He also recommended sensitization of the public to raise awareness about subsidies (cooking tariff for electricity in Uganda) and clean energy alternatives, like Tanzania’s national cooking conference and to encourage mindset change towards LPG and biogas, led by Parliamentarians.
“For people that use electricity for cooking, very few households, including those that are around Kampala, know about electricity subsidy. And the Minister of Energy is of the view that electricity is the cheapest source of power these days. Even households that are well-educated, are not aware of what government has done in promoting the clean cooking”
“And being opinion leaders from their different constituencies, Members of Parliament can also act as champions of mindset change wherever they are. Maybe they can be in their constituency, act as a center to demonstrate some of the clean energy sources. How is it working? How is it possible?” Bbaale said.
Government according to Bbaale should offer training programs to rural communities on clean energy technologies and maintenance, provide technical support for installing and maintaining clean energy systems and facilitate knowledge-sharing platforms for rural communities to learn from successful projects.
Bbaale also proposed regulatory and policy frameworks in regard to standardization. He stressed the need for a law and policy in regard to prices and standards with Uganda National Bureau of Standards to rule out counterfeits.
Parliament pledges to support policies on clean energy transition and engage line ministries to collaborate with EfD as a research arm
The Chairperson Parliamentary Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Otala who is also Member of Parliament for West Budama South Constituency, Tororo District commended the university dons for sharing the research findings to guide policy formulation.
“And I must say that they are spot on in that their research findings are pointing the country to protection of our environment. And as they concluded by saying that yes, God always forgives, human beings sometimes forgive, but nature will never forgive if we do something. I think that was a fundamental statement, really,” Dr. Otala recalled.
Citing recent and occurring disasters that have ravaged the country due unsustainable use of the environment, Dr. Otala emphasized the need to balance development with environmental conservation.
“Most of our people still use firewood, biomass for cooking. And this is not the right way to go. We must look at renewable sources of energy and how to conserve our forests and that is how they bring in the issue of Liquefied Petroleum Gas.
Unfortunately, government already made an attempt, but at a very small scale. And so, we need to scale up this project of substituting the use of biomass for cooking with the Liquefied Petroleum Gas and even use biogas from homes.” Dr. Otala noted.
Otala pledged total commitment to working with the EfD-Mak center and line ministries to support policies to a green transition.
“What the EfD is doing is in keeping with the current global initiative of trying to address climate change, of conserving the environment, and the turning away from the use of fossil fuels to use of renewable energy for cooking. And we think that as policy makers, most of the policies they recommended are very good and we are going to take them up”. He said.
Dr. Otala also pledged to share the research findings with the Minister of Water and Environment and his team, discuss the proposed policies and interventions and interest the ministry to utilize EfD as a research arm.
“The use of evidence-based policy is critical, and I can’t explain it more. So we shall definitely bring it to the attention of the Minister that in Makerere there is this initiative.
…we shall definitely help you to highlight the need for collaboration in terms of research, but also translating research findings into actual activities on the ground for the benefit of our people based on research”. Otala affirmed.
Members of Parliament speak out
Shadow Minister for Environment and Energy who is also Woman Member of Parliament representing Kiboga District, Christine Kaaya Nakimwero requested the EfD Researchers to research on the census tools and fossil fuels that the country is looking up to.
“One, we have not looked at the census tools for the census that is going to begin on 10th May this month, we would request you to look at the tool urgently and see if ownership of energy tools in households, for us to know what households really use.” Kaaya submitted
Kaaya also requested researchers to appreciate that Uganda is set to make money from fossil fuels and to research into emissions resulting from different energy sources and initiatives like afforestation.
“How much emissions come from production of one liter of fossil fuel? And what do we need to do to offset emission from one liter of fossil fuel? That is the exact message we’re supposed to share with our people. People need to know, if I plant five trees, does it help?” She pondered.
Kaaya also decried the issue of counterfeits in the energy sector calling on the committee members to discuss more on how the Uganda National Bureau of Standards can be supported to check counterfeits. She observed that affordability and culture are some of the factors hindering the adoption of clean cooking energy.
“There is a gender aspect in making people run away from use of biomass. I’m supposed to cook. Without food, there is no marriage. So, when we are phasing out biomass, we must have that at the back of the mind. I’m in Kampala, you have refused people to bring charcoal. I’m here in Kampala, I’m married, I’m supposed to cook, I don’t have LPG, I cannot afford electricity.
“And how long are we going to wait to resolve this matter? You cannot just stop charcoal vehicles in Kiboga, please don’t proceed to Kampala. How do you expect us to make our husbands eat and the entire family? If you cannot answer that, then let’s go slow. We need to advise the President very appropriately.” Kaaya said.
Recently, the President of Uganda banned the commercial making, transportation and selling of charcoal to safeguard the environment.
The other cultural barrier to adoption of clean cooking energy according to Kaaya is the method of food preparation. In Buganda and other cultures that eat bananas, one is not a wife if she cannot prepare bananas, squeeze and leave them on fire in banana leaves for long hours until it is soft before serving.
“It is that cultural practice which is becoming very difficult. The electric cooker cannot accommodate banana leaves. After squeezing bananas, you are supposed to leave it on fire. It becomes very soft, such that even somebody who will come at midnight, finds it soft and hot. That is what we are battling with in our cultural settings. With this new gadget, you can’t have it. And then, in other words, you are not a good wife.” The MP said.
Hon. Orone Derrick Member of Parliament from Gogonyo county encouraged researchers to put more effort on the media awareness to the public.
“We as policy makers, we shall really support you but put more awareness of the media to the public that’s the only encouragement. I want to thank the chair for organizing these researchers to come and tell us, educate us, sensitizing us about the clean energy”. Orone said.
Hon. Apollo Yeri of Tororo Municipality implored the university to look into cheaper clean energy technologies like the use of biogas from animal and human waste.
“There are some people who have started to manufacture biogas themselves locally using cow dung and pit latrine. It is a bit cheap to produce. So if you encourage them to manufacture their own biogas, and maybe teach them how to store – because they don’t store anything, just use and sometimes they overuse. If they can store, they can even sell excess and more people would be encouraged”, Yeri suggested
Hon. Clare Mugumya, the District Woman Representative of Isingiro was hopeful that Uganda’s oil wells from Kirenga would provide cheap gas for the population. She noted that other clean energy sources and gadgets are costly for ordinary Ugandans.
“Otherwise, behavior change alone will not be possible, even if we sensitize, unless the issue of affordability is seriously addressed by government”. she said.
Jane Anyango is the Communication Officer EfD Uganda
Business & Management
EfD, MDAs & Private Sector Strategize on Scaling up the Adoption of Climate Smart Agriculture in Uganda
Researchers, government officials and private sector actors convened in Kampala to draw a roadmap for accelerating the adoption of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) as Uganda struggles with rising climate shocks, stagnating agricultural productivity and worsening poverty levels.
The high-level annual workshop, held on December 4, 2025 at the Sheraton Kampala Hotel, was organised by the Environment for Development (EfD) Mak Centre through its regional Inclusive Green Economy (IGE) Programme. The initiative seeks to strengthen links between research and policy, improve knowledge uptake, and identify long-standing barriers limiting CSA adoption in Uganda.
The annual IGE transformation initiative requires public servants to demonstrate how they can translate training into practical solutions. This year’s focus is on advancing CSA as a vehicle for sustainable production, poverty reduction, gender inclusion and resilience across agricultural value chains.
The meeting brought together stakeholders from key ministries including Agriculture, Finance, and Water, Tourism along with researchers, academia, private sector suppliers of solar-powered irrigation technologies, civil society, farmers’ representatives and the media., with discussions focused on strategies to improve farmer uptake of CSA practices and to ensure the country’s agricultural sector remains a backbone for economic growth.
Uganda’s Agriculture at crossroads
Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Commissioner, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Emmanuel Odeng warned that Uganda’s agricultural sector, long considered the backbone of the economy, is now facing severe setbacks driven largely by climate change and weak investment in resilient food systems.
Odeng noted that agriculture still contributes significantly to Uganda’s development, accounting for 24% of GDP as of 2022/23, 35% of export earnings and employing over 80% of the population. “This sector remains the main pathway to poverty reduction; Uganda cannot develop without agriculture,” he said.
However, he observed that agricultural contribution to the economy has stagnated and, in some cases, declined sharply. GDP contribution has dropped from 34.1% in 2009 to 24% in 2022, a trend he said should alarm policymakers and CSA implementers.
“Yields are decreasing, water sources are reducing, heat waves are rising. Communities are becoming more vulnerable, and many households are slipping back into poverty,” Odeng said.
He cited recent statistics showing that while 8.4% of households moved out of poverty, 10.2% slipped back in, resulting in an additional 1.4 million Ugandans falling into poverty between 2019 and 2021.
Climate shocks worsening vulnerability
The keynote highlighted the increasing frequency of climate-related disasters including droughts, floods, landslides and the siltation of major water bodies such as Lake Kyoga as major threats to productivity and food security.
Uganda’s forest cover, wetlands and grazing lands are shrinking rapidly, with more than 6,000 gazetted wetlands facing severe encroachment. Odeng revealed that modelling conducted by the Ministry shows a consistent decline in natural resource size and quality over the last decade.
“There is a strong relationship between natural resource degradation, economic loss and poverty. This vicious cycle must be broken through science-based approaches,” he said.
The Ministry, he added, is working with development partners to deploy dredgers in key water bodies to restore aquatic ecosystems and fisheries, which have been heavily affected by sedimentation.
CSA Seen as the path to recovery
Odeng called for the urgent scaling-up of CSA approaches across crop, livestock and fisheries value chains, emphasising innovations in agroecology and soil rehabilitation, irrigation and water harvesting, mechanisation, climate-resilient seed systems, afforestation and agroforestry and post-harvest management and value addition.
MAAIF aims to increase production across value chains by 40%, anchored on resilient value chains and updated CSA compendiums being developed by the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO).
He urged researchers to identify priority areas that can help farmers withstand climate shocks, boost household incomes and support Uganda’s agro-industrialisation agenda under the National Development Plan (NDP).
Odeng tasks stakeholders with three critical questions on boosting CSA adoption
Odeng left participants with three pressing questions that he said must guide Uganda’s CSA agenda. First, he challenged researchers to identify which research areas can practically help farmers build resilience and escape poverty, noting that many households continue to slide back into vulnerability due to climate shocks.
Odeng’s second question focused on productivity, calling on stakeholders to determine which Climate Smart Agriculture approaches are most relevant for raising farmers’ yieldsacrossthe country’s struggling value chains.
His third assignment centred on food security and market losses, urging experts to outline which CSA-related strategies can best improve post-harvest handling, an area he said continues to undermine farmers’ incomes despite increased production efforts.
The three questions, he emphasized, should frame the day’s discussions and guide future policy, research and investment priorities.
“We must ask ourselves: Which resilience-building approaches will help farmers move out of poverty? Which CSA options will sustainably increase productivity? These are the questions we must answer today,” he said.
EfD warns of rising climate risks, calls for stronger research–policy linkage
The Environment for Development (EfD) Mak Centre called for urgent, coordinated action to strengthen CSA as Uganda faces intensifying climate impacts and deteriorating natural resources. Delivering remarks on behalf of the EfD Director, Dr. John Sseruyange urged closer collaboration between researchers and policymakers to address the country’s growing vulnerabilities.
Sseruyange described the workshop’s focus on CSA as “very timely,” noting that climate change has moved from an abstract debate to a lived reality affecting farmers, households and entire ecosystems. “Climate change is no longer something distant. It is happening today, and as a country that depends heavily on agriculture, we must direct our knowledge and skills to climate smart solutions,” he said.
Sseruyange explained that EfD’s annual workshops are purposely designed to reduce the long-standing disconnect between academic research and policy implementation. When researchers work in isolation, he warned, their findings risk remaining unused.
“When you do research without involving stakeholders, your work may remain on the shelves,” he cautioned. “But when policymakers tell you what they want, they own the final product and it informs real decisions.”
He urged government ministries, district officials, academic institutions and other actors present to actively guide researchers on emerging CSA priorities.
Climate change already deepening Uganda’s vulnerabilities
According to Dr. Sseruyange, climate change is already manifesting through declining agricultural productivity, degraded soil and water resources, and weakened resilience across farming communities. These impacts, he said, continue to slow Uganda’s development and threaten progress in poverty reduction.
Sseruyange noted that despite agriculture being the backbone of the economy and the largest employer, its performance remains unstable and highly sensitive to weather variability. He warned that shrinking water bodies, degraded wetlands and reduced forest cover are undermining rural livelihoods and stressing agricultural systems.
“Ecosystems are degrading fast. Many of our gazetted wetlands and forest reserves are shrinking, and water sources are getting more strained,” he said. “These challenges directly affect agricultural output and household income.”
Need for targeted research and CSA interventions
Sseruyange emphasized that Uganda cannot advance CSA without research that responds to actual field challenges, especially in the context of increasing droughts, erratic rainfall and soil depletion. He urged researchers to prioritize practical, scalable innovations that strengthen resilience and sustain production.
He also highlighted the importance of improving post-harvest handling, mechanization, soil health and climate-resilient farming techniques, saying these areas should guide future research and policy support.
Concluding his remarks, Sseruyange tasked participants with three questions that he said should shape Uganda’s future CSA agenda and guide the work of researchers and policymakers alike:
- Which research areas can help farmers become more resilient and overcome poverty?
- Which CSA approaches are most relevant for boosting farmers’ productivity?
- Which climate-smart strategies can improve post-harvest handling and reduce losses?
He said these questions will help determine the direction of upcoming EfD research and strengthen the evidence base needed for effective climate-resilient agriculture.
Sseruyange thanked participants for their engagement and reaffirmed EfD’s commitment to supporting Uganda’s transition to sustainable, climate-smart farming systems.
Low CSA uptake threatens Uganda’s food security, livelihoods and long-term growth – Dr. Peter Babyenda
Policy Engagement Specialist Dr. Peter Babyenda sounded the alarm over Uganda’s slow adoption of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA), warning that the country risks missing its food security and development targets unless farmers, policymakers and extension workers urgently scale up climate-responsive farming practices.
Babyenda said Uganda cannot afford to delay implementing CSA strategies, given the rising threats of drought, floods, erratic rainfall and pest outbreaks that continue to devastate farms across the country.
“CSA offers triple wins – increased productivity, greater climate resilience and potential climate mitigation,” Babyenda said. “But despite these clear benefits, adoption among farmers remains very low.”
Babyenda cited EfD studies and stakeholder interviews showing that farmers face major constraints, including logistical barriers, limited affordability of CSA technologies, inadequate extension services, and low awareness or motivation to adopt climate-resilient practices.
“We need to invest in CSA-focused extension services, support farmer training, raise awareness, and design policies that deliberately include women and youth,” he emphasized.
According to Babyenda, agriculture remains the backbone of Uganda’s economy contributing 23.8% of GDP and employing 68% of the working population. It is also central to the country’s value-addition agenda under the Fourth National Development Plan.
But the sector is undergoing strain from climate change.
“Over 96 percent of farming households rely on rain-fed agriculture, making farmers extremely vulnerable to climate variability,” he said, citing rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, droughts, floods, landslides and increasing pest and disease outbreaks.
He warned that these climatic pressures threaten food security and Uganda’s long-term economic ambitions, including the country’s “tenfold growth” aspiration by 2040.
Rising population adds pressure
Uganda’s rapidly growing population projected by the UN to potentially double in coming decades has intensified demand for food even as climate impacts reduce agricultural productivity.
“Farmers face a dual challenge: feeding a growing population while adapting to worsening climate shocks,” Babyenda noted.
He added that agriculture itself contributes to climate change through unsustainable farming practices, creating a “complex cycle” that demands urgent policy and behavioural reforms.
Government moving, but gaps remain
Dr. Babyenda acknowledged that government ministries particularly Agriculture, Water and Environment, Energy, and Finance are already promoting CSA to improve productivity, resilience and emissions reduction.
CSA practices such as conservation agriculture, improved seed varieties, water-conserving irrigation, agroforestry and integrated pest management offer Uganda a path to more resilient food systems.
However, he stressed that these interventions must be scaled up and better aligned with local realities.
“We need localized, context-specific partnerships that make CSA accessible and practical for farmers, especially smallholders,” he said.
Dr. Babyenda said the workshop was crucial for ensuring that Uganda’s agriculture sector can withstand climate shocks while supporting economic transformation.
“Scaling up CSA is not just desirable—it is essential for Uganda’s economic and environmental stability,” he concluded.
Transformation Initiative to tackle adoption barriers for smallholder farmers– IGE Fellow
In a bid to enhance agricultural productivity and resilience to climate change, Opeet Thomas, an IGE fellow presented the Transformation Initiative (TI) aimed at accelerating CSA adoption among smallholder farmers in Uganda.
Opeet highlighted that agriculture, which employs over 70% of Uganda’s population, remains highly vulnerable to climate shocks, including erratic rainfall, prolonged dry spells, livestock heat stress, floods, and droughts.
“The challenges are not hypothetical; they are very real for our farmers,” Opeet said, citing a 2019-2020 survey indicating drought as a major contributor to agricultural shocks. “Even this year, planting seasons have been disrupted by unpredictable rains and extreme heat, making it very difficult for farmers to sustain production.”
The Transformation Initiative, a research-based activity developed by IGE fellows, aims to identify solutions to critical issues affecting CSA adoption. Opeet explained that limited uptake of CSA is partly due to low farmer awareness, inadequate extension services, high input costs, and the incapacity of extension workers themselves to disseminate knowledge effectively.
“Extension workers play a pivotal role in bridging the knowledge gap, yet many lack the skills, transport, and institutional support to reach farmers,” he noted, adding that policy and institutional frameworks often fail to prioritize CSA innovations, leaving essential initiatives underfunded or poorly implemented.
Opeet outlined a framework for technology adoption, emphasizing the interaction between technology providers, supportive policies, extension workers, and farmers. He stressed that even when technologies such as irrigation systems, composting, and the use of beneficial insects like the black soldier fly exist, adoption remains limited due to resource constraints, lack of awareness, and low capacity among implementers.
Highlighting the benefits of CSA, Opeet emphasized the “triple win” it offers: higher production and productivity, increased resilience to climate shocks, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. He cited examples such as small-scale irrigation and innovative insect-based feed for livestock and fish as practices with high potential, provided they are scaled up effectively.
Despite these opportunities, Opeet warned that challenges persist, including the high cost of inputs, limited water access, land constraints, and a general disinterest in farming among youth. He called for increased research, policy support, and education to bridge these gaps and make CSA accessible to all farmers.
“The goal of the Transformation Initiative is to generate evidence that informs policy and practical interventions so farmers can adopt CSA effectively,” he said. “If implemented, CSA can improve yields, strengthen resilience against climate shocks, and contribute to environmental sustainability.”
Workshop Takeaways: Strengthening Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) for National Impact
The workshop brought together key stakeholders to identify practical solutions for scaling CSA across Uganda. Participants emphasized the need for stronger policy engagement, improved extension support, and enhanced cross-sector collaboration to accelerate nationwide adoption of CSA practices.
Experts highlighted the importance of innovation, policy alignment, and farmer engagement as essential drivers of productivity and climate resilience. They noted that meaningful partnerships between researchers and practitioners are critical for translating technical knowledge into actionable interventions on the ground.
Discussions underscored the urgency of integrating CSA into existing national policies to safeguard food security and strengthen rural livelihoods. Stakeholders also pointed to the value of innovative practices such as irrigation technologies and the use of beneficial insects like the black soldier flies in boosting both productivity and resilience.
Participants identified three priority areas for advancing CSA: Research to enhance farmer resilience and reduce poverty; CSA approaches that sustainably improve agricultural productivity and Strategies to strengthen post-harvest handling and reduce losses.
The workshop further highlighted the need to invest in farmer-to-farmer extension models, community-based facilitators, and improved profiling of extension workers to ensure knowledge reaches even remote communities. Participants stressed that CSA solutions must remain affordable and practical, avoiding undue burdens on farmers or the national treasury.
The meeting closed with a strong spirit of collaboration, as stakeholders committed to refining CSA strategies and ensuring that research, policy, and practice continue to move in tandem to transform Uganda’s agricultural sector.
Jane Anyango is the Communication Officer, EfD-Mak Centre
Business & Management
EfD-Mak, GRO Foundation & BoU Hold High-Level Roundtable on Green and SDG-Linked Financing
Makerere University on Wednesday hosted a high-level policy dialogue bringing together researchers from the Environment for Development (EfD-Mak) Centre, representatives from the Green Gas + Reforestation +Offset (GRO) and Bank of Uganda, to explore alternative financing mechanisms for climate action and sustainable development.
The roundtable, held ahead of the Tumusiime-Mutebile Annual Public Lecture, focused on “Building Capacity and Market Readiness for Green and SDG-Linked Financing Mechanisms through Private Sector Mobilisation Towards Achieving the 10-Fold Economic Transformation (ATMS).”
Discussions highlighted Uganda’s urgent need to expand climate financing, build capacity among financial institutions, and strengthen evidence-based policymaking as climate shocks increasingly affect productivity and inflation.
Partnership With GRO Will Build Capacity for Climate Finance Access – Peter Babyenda
EfD-Mak Policy Engagement Specialist and Research Fellow Peter Babyenda said the centre is implementing an Inclusive Green Economy capacity-building program, with this year’s focus on climate-smart agriculture—an area that requires substantial financing for farmers and enterprises.
“For you to promote climate-smart agriculture, you need people who can provide finances for farmers to buy the technologies,” he said.
Babyenda explained that EfD-Mak’s collaboration with GRO is aimed at equipping the private sector and financial institutions with the capacity to mobilize and access climate finance, especially for climate-smart investments.
He added that EfD-Mak has recently partnered with the Ministry of Finance to provide evidence for climate action and stands ready to support GRO through stakeholder linkages, technical training and policy research.
“This roundtable is the start of our collaboration with GRO,” he noted, emphasizing that both institutions are aligned in scaling capacity and readiness for climate financing.
Uganda Must Mobilize Private Capital to Meet Climate and Growth Goals– Prof. Bbaale
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Edward Bbaale, Principal of CoBAMS and Director of EfD-Mak Centre, warned that abnormal weather patterns such as the extreme heat recorded in November underscore Uganda’s growing climate vulnerability.
“When 26th November feels like January or July, then something is not working well with our environment,” Bbaale said.
He stressed that Uganda’s ambition to achieve a ten-fold economic transformation requires a financing ecosystem that supports sustainability, innovation and private sector participation. He noted that Uganda needs US$228 billion to implement its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), yet climate finance access remains constrained.
“The question is not whether we can participate in the global green financing momentum, but how quickly and effectively we can mobilize the private sector and strengthen institutional capacity,” he said.
Bbaale Reaffirms EfD-Mak’s Readiness to Build Capacity and Partner Across Sectors
Prof. Bbaale placed strong emphasis on capacity building as a cornerstone of Uganda’s transition to a green economy. He highlighted EfD-Mak’s ongoing regional program that trains senior civil servants from five East African countries on using fiscal policy to spur green transformation.
“At the EfD-Mak Centre we believe that knowledge, evidence and partnerships are essential ingredients for real transformation,” he said. “We are ready to collaborate with government, with GRO, with international partners to build the capacity needed to advance climate-responsive and SDG-aligned economic planning.”
He underscored that Makerere University has become more open to partnerships and is pursuing a research-led, innovation-driven agenda, adding that such collaboration is central to the university’s strategic plan.
“Makerere is now more collaborative than ever before. As a research-led university, our success depends on partnerships, knowledge-sharing and internationalisation,” he said.
Bbaale Stresses Need for Evidence to Guide Policy, Fiscal and Monetary Decisions
Bbaale highlighted that researchers must generate real-time evidence to support government and financial sector decisions, especially as climate shocks begin to influence macroeconomic indicators such as inflation.
He noted that changing weather patterns have altered harvest cycles, with crops maturing earlier and reducing food availability—factors that directly affect inflation and complicate the Bank of Uganda’s monetary policy operations.
“If the environment is hitting output and therefore inflation, then monetary policy must speak to environmental shocks,” he said.
Bbaale also pointed to the critical need for natural capital accounting, fiscal policy reforms, and institutional strengthening to enable Uganda to unlock climate finance and achieve sustainable economic growth.
Prof. Bbaale urged participants to use the roundtable to diagnose gaps in market readiness, strengthen networks, and advance financial innovations that complement public funding.
“Let us approach today not just as an event, but as part of a broader national commitment to building resilient, green and inclusive economies,” he said.
He encouraged active engagement throughout the session and assured stakeholders that EfD-Mak would continue to support national, regional and global climate initiatives—including the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action, where Uganda currently serves as co-chair.
GRO Foundation Pledges to Mobilise $1 Billion Annually as Uganda Ramps Up Green and SDG-Linked Financing
Executive Director of the GRO Foundation Laban Joshua Musinguzi, announced that the organisation is committing to mobilising US$1 billion every year for the next five years to support Uganda’s climate finance ambitions, alternative financing mechanisms and the country’s broader goal of economic transformation.
Musinguzi described the session as both a tribute to the legacy of the late Governor Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile and a call to accelerate Uganda’s readiness for innovative and market-based climate finance.
He opened his remarks by honouring the late Mutebile as a pioneer of macroeconomic stability, institutional reforms and private-sector-led growth.
“Today is memorable because we are here to honour a legacy and inspire the future,” he said. “Mutebile’s vision for resilient financial ecosystems still runs in the blood of young economists and statisticians. I am one of them—I studied here, so I am back home.”
He added that Mutebile’s emphasis on private sector participation remains central to Uganda’s ability to mobilise the financing needed for green growth.
Mr. Musinguzi explained that the GRO Foundation—Greenhouse Gas Reforestation Offsets is a social enterprise committed to alleviating poverty by unlocking climate finance through innovative financial instruments.
“We unlock climate finance by creating financial instruments,” he said.
“These include green bonds, carbon certificates, sustainability bonds and commodity-backed bonds.”
He highlighted that GRO is an “interesting space open to disruptive technology,” and reaffirmed the foundation’s willingness to deepen its partnership with Makerere’s EfD-Mak Centre, financial institutions and government agencies.
The foundation works under the “Fantastic Four framework”—forestation and deforestation, food security, water security, education and skilling, and green jobs—with the current engagement at Makerere falling under the education and skilling pillar.
Musinguzi said Uganda aims to transform its economy to US$500 billion by 2040, but global shifts are demanding new sources of capital, including green financing, SDG-linked financing and capital markets.
“COP30 reinforced alternative financing as key for developing economies,” he said, adding that Uganda made commitments at the global climate conference to accelerate green bonds and SDG-linked bonds.
Uganda is currently implementing five climate finance strategies—among them the green taxonomy and the climate financing vehicle but Musinguzi stressed that implementation now matters more than awareness.
“We are in the last phase of the SDG agenda. We have no time for awareness—we have time for implementation,” he said.
Gaps in Uganda’s Readiness: ESG Integration Still Below 20%
Musinguzi outlined several gaps affecting Uganda’s readiness to access global climate finance: Only 30–40 financial institutions have internal ESG reporting frameworks; Less than 20% of climate risk guidelines have been integrated into credit products; Commercial banks lack clarity on what qualifies as a “green loan” and that Uganda’s regulatory frameworks have not evolved at the pace of technological disruption
He added that Uganda’s first carbon revenue—about US$40 million took nearly a decade to materialise, underscoring how delays in documentation, data and compliance slow financing.
“We must demonstrate institutional capacity through monitoring, reporting and evaluation systems to unlock financing,” he said.“We must be ready for this money.”
GRO’s Track Record: $1.5 Billion Already Mobilised, New Target of $10 Billion
Musinguzi reported that GRO has already mobilised US$1.5 billion, a commitment made at COP Azerbaijan and later presented during Uganda’s National SDG Conference and the Ministry of Water and Environment’s annual reports.
For 2025–2026, the foundation has set a more ambitious target: “We aim to mobilise US$10 billion next financial year.” He emphasised that when GRO says “mobilise,” it means actualinflow, not mere pledges.
“We mobilise, not promise,” he said. “By the time we call it mobilising, we have already brought the money into the country.”
These funds will support Climate finance business windows, Carbon certification schemes (100 million certificates already registered), Private-public-community partnership models and Clean energy, food security, waste management and youth skilling programmes
Concluding his remarks, Musinguzi urged policymakers, academia, financial institutions and development actors to treat climate finance readiness as a national priority.
“The conversation begins here,” he said. “If not now, then when? And if not us, then who?”
He reaffirmed GRO Foundation’s commitment: “We are ready to mobilise US$1 billion every year for Uganda for the next five years.”
Bank of Uganda Positions Sustainability at Core of Financial Sector Reform
The Bank of Uganda (BoU) has intensified efforts to embed sustainability and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) standards across the country’s financial system, describing sustainable development as a “strategic imperative” for Uganda’s long-term economic resilience.
Prisca Ampumuza Rwamare, BoU’s Director of Strategy and Innovation, said Uganda cannot achieve its development goals or meet global commitments without a stable, forward-looking financial sector that is prepared for climate shocks, demographic shifts and resource pressures.
“Sustainable development is no longer optional. It is central to building long-term economic resilience,” Ampumuza said, noting that Mutebile himself consistently emphasised the impact of financial institutions on society.
She revealed that the Bank has redefined its purpose and mission under the 2022–2027 strategic plan to reflect its commitment to socioeconomic transformation. “We had to rethink our business model and strategy,” she said. BoU has integrated sustainability into monetary policy operations, financial stability oversight, payment systems modernisation and risk management frameworks.
The central bank has also signed up for the Sustainability Standards Certification Initiative and revised its corporate social responsibility policy to align with ESG priorities.
Ampumuza highlighted several regulatory steps already underway. In partnership with the Uganda Bankers Association, BoU co-developed an ESG framework for the banking sector, launched in June 2024, with commercial banks now reporting quarterly on progress. BoU has also issued guidelines for managing climate-related financial risks and is reviewing its micro- and macro-prudential supervisory tools to enforce ESG compliance.
A key concern, she said, is preventing “greenwashing” in the financial sector. “We take this very seriously,” she noted, warning against superficial sustainability claims that do not reflect real environmental or social impact.
Innovation, Culture Shift and Collaboration Critical
According to Ampumuza, sustainable finance cannot be achieved through policy updates or digital systems alone. She stressed the need for institutional culture change, data-driven supervision and innovative solutions. That week she said the Bank launched an ambitious Innovation Strategy to support this transformation.
She noted that BoU is undergoing a culture change programme to empower its young workforce over 100 newly recruited staff to champion SDGs and sustainable finance within a traditionally cautious institution.
BoU is also collaborating with international partners including the World Bank, IMF, IFC and the global Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) to strengthen policy frameworks and build capacity.
Despite progress, Ampumuza said banks continue to struggle with implementing sustainable finance principles due to capacity gaps, absence of baseline ESG data and limited availability of bankable green projects. She revealed that BoU, the Uganda Bankers Association and the Institute of Bankers recently completed a curriculum on sustainable finance to support sector-wide training.
Ampumuza concluded that sustainability is now fully integrated into BoU’s internal operations. A dedicated department and ESG coordination division have been established, and all projects across currency management, logistics and infrastructure must demonstrate compliance with environmental and social standards. “If this is replicated across the banking sector, we will make significant impact,” she said.
Participants Chart Path to Green and SDG-Linked Financing
A panel, moderated by Canary Mugume, comprising Dr. Peter Babyenda, a climate finance economist from Makerere University, Ms. Elizabeth Mwerinde, Head of Commercial Banking at Ecobank, and Dr. John Sseruyange, an environmental economist at Makerere University examined Uganda’s readiness for green and SDG-linked financing, with a special focus on institutional perspectives and market preparedness.
The discussion underscored that sustainable development is no longer optional for Uganda—it is a strategic imperative for economic transformation. Global financial shifts are creating new opportunities through green finance networks, SDG-linked instruments, and carbon markets. Yet, while Uganda’s macroeconomic fundamentals are strong, the greening component of its economy remains weak.
Speakers emphasized the strategic role of diverse actors in mobilizing green finance. Academia, the private sector, financial institutions, and government all share responsibility, but partnerships must also reach beyond traditional stakeholders to include religious and cultural leaders who can influence public awareness and mindsets. The private sector, in particular, was identified as the engine for Uganda’s ambitious economic transformation.
Despite the potential, persistent challenges remain. Low institutional awareness, limited readiness among financial institutions, and the absence of a strong pipeline of bankable green projects hinder progress. Critical data gaps were highlighted, with Uganda possessing “data sets, not databases,” and research outputs were said to insufficiently inform policy and decision-making.
Panelists stressed the need for evidence-based approaches: different sectors require tailored policy instruments, and academia and think tanks have a vital role in guiding government policies, investment design, and risk assessment. Institutions must deepen their understanding of green financing mechanisms, climate risks, and ESG compliance, while reporting standards and transparency must be strengthened across all levels of the financial system.
Innovations and ongoing initiatives offer a glimpse of progress. The launch of a Sustainable Finance Curriculum for financial institutions and platforms like the monthly “Carbon Tuesdays” at Kati Kati are building capacity and creating space for innovative ideas on carbon markets and climate finance. Meanwhile, the government’s deliberate role in shaping regulatory frameworks and deploying policy instruments—including incentives, guarantees, blended finance, and public-private partnerships—was highlighted as essential.
Mobilizing private capital was presented not as a replacement for public finance, but as a critical complement, expanding Uganda’s financing capacity. The country’s credibility, transparency, and demonstrated ability to manage large-scale investments are key to attracting private investors, alongside a clear pipeline of viable instruments.
The roundtable concluded with a call for a renewed strategy: Uganda must return to the drawing board, scale up bankable green projects, and strengthen institutional capacity. Success, panelists agreed, will depend on partnerships, credible data, strong governance, and unified commitment across sectors—a holistic approach to greening Uganda’s economy and advancing sustainable development.
Jane Anyango is the Communication Officer, EfD-Mak Centre
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