Kazo District is set to benefit from Uganda Climate Smart Agricultural Transformation Project (UCSATP), a six-year initiative aimed at increasing agricultural productivity, improving market access, and building resilience to the effects of climate change.

The project, funded by the Government of Uganda with support from the World Bank, will be implemented in 69 selected districts across 13 agro-ecological zones in the country, including seven refugee-hosting districts. These districts were chosen based on factors such as climate change vulnerability, poverty levels, and watershed degradation.

In Kazo, the project will directly benefit communities in eight sub-counties and two town councils, focusing on strategic agricultural value chains including coffee, livestock (beef and dairy), crop agriculture, apiculture, fisheries, and black soldier fly farming.

To qualify for support, farmers must belong to organized groups that have been active for at least six months by December 2024. The project will provide comprehensive support across the value chains, chains from production to value addition, with the aim of increasing profitability and creating employment. Beneficiary groups are required to co-fund 20% of their project activities, while UCSATP will contribute the remaining 80%.
John Baptist Asiimwe, the Kazo District Agricultural Officer and UCSATP focal person, highlighted the transformative potential of the project. “This project will increase productivity and market access while improving the livelihoods of our people,” he said.

To ensure effective implementation, the district technical team has already begun training sessions for beneficiary groups. Initial trainings have taken place in Kazo Town Council, Kazo Sub-County and Kyampangara Sub-County with plans to roll out the program across all sub-counties in the district

The chief administrative officer for Kazo district, Hajji Badru Mayanja, emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in project implementation.
“We must ensure proper execution and avoid any form of mismanagement. Kazo is privileged to be among the selected districts and we must make the most of this opportunity,” he stated.
Across the country, UCSATP is expected to directly benefit approximately 3.9 million individuals, including 1.5 million womenand indirectly reach up to 9.5 million people. In Kazo District alone, 221 farmer groups have been identified to benefit from the initiative.

The project targets both smallholder and large-scale farmers, cooperatives, and self-help groups, with a strong emphasis on supporting vulnerable populations, particularly women, youth and the elderly. Youth engagement is a key priority, with at least 40% of direct beneficiaries expected to be women.

Indirect beneficiaries will include household members of participating farmers and those benefiting from rehabilitated land and improved natural resource management.
The UCSATP will also support refugee-hosting districts, targeting around 50,000 refugees among the estimated 2.9 million direct beneficiaries. These include land users such as farmers, pastoralists, fishers, forest users, and both refugees and host communities. Beneficiaries were identified based on agro-ecological zones, farming systems, socio-economic conditions, and land tenure.

The agro-ecological zones targeted under the UCSATP include:North-Eastern Dry Lands (Karamoja), North-Eastern Savannah Grasslands (East Acholi, Northern Lango), Kyoga Plains (Southeast Lango, Teso, Bukedi, Northern Eastern (Elgon) Highlands (Bugisu, Sebei),Western Highlands and Bunyoro,Southern Highlands and Drylands, Lake Albert Crescent, South Westerntern (Kigezi), Northern Buganda, and Ankole Sub-Region.

These regions were prioritized due to their high poverty levels, degraded landscapes, low agricultural productivity, and vulnerability to climate change.
With coordinated efforts from local governments, technical teams, and farmer groups, UCSATP presents a timely opportunity for agricultural transformation in Kazo and beyond.

Tinyefuza Naboth, Kazo District Communications Officer