OSS completes the Fifth supervision mission of the EURECCCA project: third and last leg at Aswa Catchment – Upper Nile Water Management Zone
The last leg of the EURECCCA Project 5th supervision mission was in Aswa. The delegation further visited Kaplebyong in Amuria District where they met with the Adung’o Water and Environment Cooperative (WEC) in Obalanga Town. As part of the need to address the challenges faced by communities affected by the demarcation of the wetlands and river banks, these WECs were established to support in the identification and application of Income Generating Actvities (IGAs) as alternative livelihoods. To note, the enterprises that have been echoed across include: apiaries, fish farming, piggery...
Ogwete Wetland was also another site that the mission visited. Remarkable changes are an understatement as 90% of the wetland has been protected and has regenerated due to the support of the Adaptation Fund, OSS and the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) in the endeavor to ensure sustainable management of natural resources through a community-based approach.
The mission visited Otuke District womens’ group who are undertaking cook stove production. The group noted that with the intervention of the EURECCCA Project, 700 cook stoves have been constructed across the district since 2019 to date. It was evidenced that the group with 90% gender inclusivity of women has been able to uplift their livelihoods through the growing and collection of shea nuts for value addition. They are further highlighted as part of the sustainability of the group, they will engage further with the MWA of Uganda to be supported in terms of acquisition of motorbikes and other facilities so as to improve transportation of members to continue in the cook stove construction and awareness.
The mission travelled to Pager Matidi where they met the Karakilet-lokokokwayi & Kadukuye riverbank WECS in Kitgum District who is working with MWE are responsible for the restoration of the riverbanks, wetlands and the buffer zones. “The river is coming back and our animals can graze freely” is a statement from the chairman of the WECs that has expressed his gratitude to the project intervention despite the first reluctances of the communities.
To finalise on the visit to Aswa Catchment the mission visited the Ngetta ZARDI demonstration center where they evaluated the progress of the implementation of the demonstration plots for: irrigation, mushroom production, bamboo plantation, fish breeding ponds, beehives for beekeeping activities...which will be the main training spot for the communities interested in the IGAs.
The closing of the fifth supervision mission was carried out at the premises of the Ministry of Water and Environment in Kampala. This session was marked by the presentation of the main outcomes drawn from the field supervision as well as the action plan for the last year of the project.