Environment Conservation & Energy

Strengthening Community empowerment and resilience to climate change in Kotido Project:

The project is supporting in regeneration of depleted biodiversity of Kidepo Landscape by empower 1,000 dependant rural and vulnerable households that live around Kidepo Landscape. Additionally, the project is offering livelihood alternatives, as well as promote innovative climate protection initiatives for sustainable natural resource use by reducing communal dependency on natural resources and promote their sustainable use.
In total 1,000 households living around Kidepo landscape (600 Females and 400 males) are supported to promote environmental conservation activities and enhance their production and productivity improvement, financial inclusion, skills and enterprise development.

The project also sensitizes and encourage the targeted beneficiaries to form a total of 40 Saving and Development Clusters (SDCs), each comprising of 25 members. It is expected that improved productivity and revolving fund in savings groups will boost the economic resilience among beneficiaries by injecting much needed cash directly to local host community of Kotido Landscape.

AYADO offers income-generating activities such as bakery, saloon, soap making, beekeeping, mushroom farming, poultry, milling, goat rearing, poultry, tailoring enterprises to 1,000 vulnerable host households living around Kotido.

Additionally, AYADO enhances access to finance service through Saving for Transformation model (S4T) for their economic empowerment as a means of tackling dependency on environmental natural resources for a living through harmful practices such as bush burning, illegal wildlife trade and deforestation for charcoal burning.

Output 1.1: Enhanced household knowledge and capacity on climate change adaptation and sustainable livelihood
1. Beneficiary capacity Built
Sensitized 1,000 households on the impact of climate change on agriculture and natural resources and appropriate adaptation strategies

Facilitated dissemination of quarterly seasonal weather forecast information through radio and community-based champions.

Conducted community-based skills training for 1,000 targeted HH based on locally applicable green livelihood options like craft work, soap making, shoe making

Trained 500 HH lorena stoves thus facilitating access alternatives fuel for households

Output 2.1: Increased adoption of sustainable natural resource/landscape management practices
2. Contribution to sustainable ecosystems
Promoted tree restoration using Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration and agro-forestry practices (1 FMNR site of 1 acre in Kacheri parish)

Trained 500 selected households and artisans in management of forest-based enterprises (Apiary, fruits and crafts enterprises)

Promoted growing of pigeon pea crop and other fast-growing trees among 500 beneficiaries as energy source, food and fodder for livestock.

Planted 3,000 eucalyptus tree seedlings with support from UNDP

Established 1 tree nursery at to ease access to seedlings at the community level among beneficiaries.

Technical capacity building of the lower government staff in relation to the project: The technical backstopping was carried out by an outsourced consultant, this built capacity of government staff both at the sub county and district level for sustainability.

Output 3.1: Household production and consumption of early maturing and well adapted crops varieties increased
1. Improved household food production and nutrition
Supported 500 beneficiaries with fast maturing vegetable seeds - cow peas, kales, onions, tomatoes planted in kitchen gardens.

Established 20 farmer groups which practice climate smart agriculture.

Established 5 demos of (2 an acres each) planted with tomatoes and cassava

Established 2 functional tree nursery beds for easy access to seedlings

1. Karamoja Biodiversity enhanced: The project contributed towards climate resilience improvement of terrestrial ecosystems. This was through FMNR and Apiary integration. The project outcomes included increased environment conservation for the households, good coping mechanisms. The project promoted functional tree nursery beds and lorena stoves thus facilitating access alternatives fuel for households.
2. Beneficiaries’ capacity built: project beneficiaries acquired appropriate life skills such as communication, leadership, group dynamics, time management.
3. Improved nutrition: The project promoted vegetable kitchen gardening and growing of food crop varieties that are drought resistant and disease tolerant varieties eg pigeon pea and Narocas1. These lead to additional dietary options and food security for families.
4. Increased access to employment opportunities: The project increased household access to decent employment opportunities, build Sustainable Livelihoods and self-reliance amongst beneficiaries for quality life. AYADO promoted skills building and enterprise development amongst the targeted HH resulting into increased capacity of beneficiaries in production, management and marketing of agricultural and non-agricultural products.
5. Gender Equality, Social cohesion and peaceful coexistence enhanced: The integration of groups with members of different gender (male and females), This integration promoted peaceful coexistence and love. By doing so gender equality was promoted.
6. Increased incomes and resilience: The project organised 500 beneficiaries into 20 groups and support with IGAs. This led to improved resilience and coping mechanisms among HH