Uganda national study in support of inter-governmental negotiating committee on drought and desertification

Uganda with 17 million people is one of the Sudano-Sahelian countries. Uganda was selected for a case study for formulation of International Convention to Combat Drought and Desertification (INC-D) particularly in Africa. Nationally continuing efforts are made through the National Action Plan (NEAP) and the Karamoja Development Agency (KDA). For the INC-D process, Buruli, Dodoth and Kakuuto were selected as study areas. Studies were carried out according to INC-D methodology and guided by a steering committee made up of representatives of collaborating institutions and coordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF). Valuable information was gathered as below- Firstly, all the 3 counties where were dry areas with low erratic rainfall, high temperatures and extremely high evapotranspiration rates. A combination of moisture deficiency and soil erosion is leading to progressive declines in vegetative cover, over grazing and indiscriminate bush burning are main factors contributing to erosion. Secondly, Water supply problem occur because of prolonged drought during water storage structures dry up, when rain is available the reservoirs get silted and unable to capture rain water, boreholes are sited along the roads for people to use. Thirdly, people in these counties have a special relationship with biodiversity that is both beneficial (food, buildings materials, water catchment) and adversary (vermin). The biodiversity is under threat because of degradation due to agricultural expansion in fragile areas, charcoal burning bushfires, overgrazing, inappropriate or insecure land tenure and lake of alternative source of income. People in these areas indulge in non sustainable agricultural practices, abandonment of fallow systems, poor multiple cropping, poor rangeland management systems as a result of over stocking. Fifthly, there is decline in population growith in these counties in Dodoth due to drought, in Kakuuto it is due to AIDS, in Buruli due to war. Literacy rates are low, high school drop outs and poor infrastructure. Sixthly, the five institutions of cultural, spiritual, adminstrative, educational and extension deal with a variety of issues, limited by religious and non-governmental organisations in environmental education and public awareness are almost non-existent. Although there are many problems in these areas the people have prioritized their problems as consisting mainly of food security, income generation, availability and accessibility of good quality water, security of land tenure, better pasture land, greater participation in grass roots level, more extension services, vermin control, better infrastructure, schools, roads and health services