Parched Earth in Africa

Environmental NGOs have launched the report showing the progress of the implementation of the national adaptation programmes of action (NAPA) towards climate change mitigation and adaptation, calling for more and serious work to be done by government for the targets to be realized, in a bid for Uganda to cope up with climate change effects.

While releasing the report the lead researcher for the NAPA, Dr. Justine Jjumba says that the focus  should be on tree planting, water source management and restoration, land degradation management, water for production, drought adaptation, community water and sanitation, strengthening meteorological services, climate change and development planning among others, and should be implemented by the relevant government agencies and departments as well as the NGOs to address issues of adverse climate change that the experts say have for long been neglected. The report continues to highlight areas in the country that are greatly affected by climate change effects and among them include the Karamoja, Teso, elgon, Rwenzori and cattle corridor regions. The report further notes that if Uganda can fully implement the finding key points then climate change issues will be addressed.

However launching the report, the chairman NAPA, Dr. Kisamba Mugerwa advised the relevant agencies of government and NGOs to help move down the messages developed in the NAPA to the grass root since the masses there are directly affected and are the same people who manage the natural resources the NAPA is trying to protect.