The new irrigation systems installed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) are very timely. The new irrigation systems installed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) come at the right time, because farming in Uganda is subject to climate change, which is manifested in increased droughts and erratic rainfall. In Kalungu District, the new irrigation systems will improve water supply to smallholders, increasing harvests.
Unlike conventional irrigation systems that use diesel-powered pumps, the small-scale irrigation systems installed by FAO in Kalungu are powered by solar photovoltaic energy. These devices will allow farmers to reduce their electricity bills, as well as their carbon dioxide emissions.
European Union funding
According to the FAO, each irrigation system costs 260 million Ugandan shillings, or more than $73,000. The facilities were procured under the Global Climate Change Alliance Plus (GCCA+). The European Union (EU) funded initiative aims to build resilience to climate change in vulnerable countries. Through GCCA+, the EU also supports these countries in implementing their commitments resulting from the Paris Climate Agreement signed in 2015 at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21).
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In Uganda, agriculture remains the main activity in the environment, providing income, employment and livelihoods for at least 40% of the population. To ensure food security in the East African country, FAO also plans to install additional solar-powered irrigation systems in the Central Livestock Corridor districts of Mubende, Nakasongola, Luwero, Kiboga, Nakaseke, Sembabule and Rakai.
Inès Magoum