What Uganda's 3-year climate resilience in livestock, land and insurance means



BY PAUL TENTENA

Uganda has launched a major three-year initiative to strengthen climate resilience across its livestock, land and insurance systems, marking a significant step in a broader regional effort to transform food systems in the face of escalating climate shocks.

The initiative, part of the programme on “Accelerating Food Systems Transformation for Resilience to Climate Change in Africa”, is led by the Government of Uganda in partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). It will also be implemented in Kenya and Somalia.


Livestock is central to Uganda’s economy, supporting an estimated 4.5 million people and contributing about 17 per cent of agricultural GDP. Yet, the country remains vulnerable to climate change and weather variability, necessitating the need for building resilience of livestock-based food systems.


The new initiative targets these bottlenecks through integrated action across four areas: livestock value chains, climate/index-based livestock insurance, land tenure security, and climate-land information systems for evidence-based decision-making.


“The project aligns with the Government of Uganda’s Agro-Industrialization Programme and the Parish Development Model. It is expected to complement ongoing government efforts while addressing critical gaps,” said Bright Rwamirama Kanyontore, Minister of State for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries. 

The project will result in stronger value chains, better legal frameworks for trade, and targeted capacity-building across the system.


The kick-off discussions highlighted persistent structural challenges, particularly in pastoralist areas, where insecure land tenure and limited access to insurance continue to undermine resilience and investment. Participants called for more affordable and better-designed insurance products, alongside stronger implementation of existing land policies.


United Nations Resident Coordinator in Uganda, Leonard Zulu, stressed the need to move beyond production-focused approaches, noting that resilience is not only about increasing output; it is about fixing the systems around it, such as access to land and market linkages. 

Addressing the barriers holds the promise of delivering jobs, growth and food security, ultimately repositioning livestock as a driver of inclusive economic growth, nutrition and trade across the IGAD region.


Medhat Elhelepi, Project Coordinator of the initiative at the ECA, pointed to a deeper structural issue, underscoring the urgency of transforming Africa’s food systems in response to rising food insecurity, climate shocks and underutilised productive assets.

“Africa’s persistent hunger, despite its land, livestock, labour and market endowments, is fundamentally a challenge of converting existing assets into value, jobs, trade and resilience, rather than a lack of resources,” he said, adding that practical, country-owned solutions can unlock the full potential of the livestock sector.


The initiative will begin with technical assessments to guide policy reform, strengthen coordination and unlock investment opportunities. Uganda’s Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Judith Nabakooba, emphasized that evidence generated through the process will inform policy reforms, strengthen institutional coordination and guide investments that improve livelihoods while enhancing climate resilience.


The kick-off convened government officials, development partners, pastoralist representatives, private sector actors and researchers, underscoring the multi-stakeholder effort required to deliver lasting change.

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