Adaptation to Climate Change: The Case of Uganda

Abstract

Uganda, like several other countries, awaits a significant change in its climate and anticipates adverse effects as a result of the change. Some of the anticipated effects include: drought; agricultural destruction; transport encumbrances and destruction of lives and property due to floods; reduction in biomass and hydroelectric energy production; increase in water-borne diseases due to floods and poor sanitation; increase in Malaria incidence; social discomfort due to higher temperatures and, spill-over economic effects  like reduced donor aid. All these events combined will adversely affect the country’s economy if necessary action is not taken in time. The country has documented a number measures to help it adapt to future climate change but practical efforts to implement these measures are hardly visible. This paper proposes that to be on the safe side, among other strategies, the country’s way forward should include: modernization of agriculture; adoption of drought insurance schemes; economic diversification; construction of roads with adequate drainage; use of oil revenue to extend piped water supply to the country’s entire population; intensification of domestic revenue mobilization to reduce dependence on donor aid; gradual substitution of biomass and hydroelectric energy usage with oil energy usage and, incorporation of climate change coping mechanisms in people’s lifestyles. It is of absolute importance that the country takes the necessary precautionary action in time.

Keywords: climate change, adaptation, sustainable development, drought, floods, agriculture modernisation

DOI: 10.7176/JESD/10-6-01

Publication date:March 31^st 2019