| Overview : The Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) with support from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is implementing the project "Enhancing adoption of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices in Uganda’s farming systems” specifically focussing on five districts, namely Bugiri, Busia, Budaka, Namutumba and Buyende. This project is part of Uganda Government’s Strategic Investment Framework (SIF) on Sustainable Land Management (SLM). The SLM SIF is within the framework of the Agricultural Sector Development Strategy and Investment Plan (DSIP). The SIF identified CSA practices such as Conservation Agriculture (CA) as relevant and underscored the need to address climate adaptation and mitigation measures in the agricultural sector to improve food security and minimize land degradation. Implementation arrangements also seek to contribute to objectives of the climate change National Adaptation Plan of Action (NAPA), which are within the Agriculture Sector Development Strategy and Investment Plan (DSIP). The project intends to use lessons learnt to inform policy and strengthen decentralized governance mechanisms and institutions and practices that empower local governments and CSOs in CSA and climate change adaptation and mitigation. Whereas Uganda’s population largely depend on natural resource based sectors like agriculture, forestry and fisheries, climate change and the strain on natural resources, due to population growth and environmental degradation, are intensifying poverty and vulnerability of many people in the country. With a big number of Ugandans still depending on agriculture for livelihood, Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) is crucial for reducing widespread poverty and livelihood improvement; more especially to the poorest and vulnerable sections of society whose livelihoods depend on natural resource ecosystems. This project thus focuses on enhancing productivity of land through sustainable land management of soil and water resources, particularly integrating CSA as a climate change adaptation strategy to build climate change resilient societies. The intention is to scale up CSA practices in the 5 districts, putting in place measures/ systems to improve input supply, develop produce markets for economic sustainability for CSA enterprises; and supporting research activities to generate baselines, monitoring and evaluation guidelines and national recommendations on CSA technologies and practices. The project document (PRODOC) covering the period 2014-2015 was signed by Government, UNDP and COMESA in 2014, following pilot implementation of activities by MAAIF; and full project implementation began in July 2014. The project is scheduled to end on 31 December 2015. | 
