By Oola Courage Allan
Communication Officer Kitgum
09/8/2026

Government Launches Water Security and Catchment Resilience Project in Kitgum
Kitgum District Local Government has welcomed a new Government of Uganda project aimed at promoting sustainable and climate-resilient land and water management in the cattle corridor, with Amida West Sub-County identified as the project site in the district.
The project, known as the Fostering Water Security and Catchment Resilience in Uganda’s Cattle Corridor Project, is being implemented by the Ministry of Water and Environment in collaboration with various partners. It seeks to strengthen the resilience of local communities to climate change while improving access to water, agricultural production and alternative livelihoods.
The project has several components, including promoting inclusive access to safe and clean water for domestic consumption and agricultural production; promoting resilient and sustainable alternative livelihoods for local communities; strengthening policy coherence for climate adaptation at the local level; coordination, learning and knowledge management; and monitoring and evaluation.
Speaking during the engagement with district stakeholders, Joseph Lule from the Ministry of Water and Environment appealed to district and sub-county technical and political leaders to work together and ensure effective coordination during implementation of the pilot project.
Lule noted that Amida West Sub-county in Kitgum District is expected to benefit from several interventions, including the construction of a water tank, a motorised borehole and an irrigation facility, among other project benefits.
He emphasized that effective coordination among stakeholders at district and sub-county levels would be critical to achieving the intended outcomes of the project.
The project is being implemented in collaboration with a number of partners. CD Langoya of JC Holdings Limited explained that his organisation will focus on aspects related to environmental restoration, while Dr. Ddumba Saul of the Victoria Basin Facility will support the project in areas of market linkages, helping communities connect their agricultural and livelihood activities to viable markets.
On financing and coordination, Prof. George William Otim-Nape explained that funding for the project will be coordinated by the Africa Innovations Institute, in collaboration with the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Water and Environment.
Prof. Otim-Nape stressed the importance of clearly defined responsibilities among stakeholders, calling upon every actor involved in the project to play their assigned role to ensure successful implementation and sustainability.
The Secretary for Production, Hon. Can Odonga Richard, welcomed the project on behalf of Kitgum District Local Government and pledged the district's total commitment towards its successful implementation.
He noted that the project comes at an important time when communities need practical interventions to strengthen agricultural production, improve access to water and enhance household livelihoods.
The Vice Chairperson of Kitgum District Local Government, Hon. Opon Smith, applauded the Ministry of Water and Environment and the project funders for considering Kitgum District to participate in the pilot project.
Hon. Opon observed that the intervention would enable the district to readjust its plans and redistribute resources to other sub-counties, as some of the services and infrastructure provided under the project would complement existing district interventions.
He further noted that the project has the potential to contribute significantly to poverty reduction by increasing agricultural production and supporting livestock rearing among local communities.
The Resident District Commissioner, Ssegawa Jimmy Ebil, also welcomed the project and called upon the implementing team and district stakeholders to remain focused on the expected outcomes rather than merely concentrating on project activities.
RDC Ssegawa pledged his office's support in monitoring the progress of the project and assured the project team that his office would provide radio airtime to support community mobilisation and sensitisation.
He stressed the importance of community ownership of the project, noting that communities must be actively involved in its implementation if the interventions are to remain functional and beneficial after the project period.
The RDC also called for deliberate efforts to build the capacity of both the community and district structures so that they can effectively manage, maintain and sustain the project interventions.
The Fostering Water Security and Catchment Resilience Project is expected to contribute to improved water availability, climate-smart agricultural production, environmental restoration and sustainable livelihoods for communities in the project area.
For Kitgum District, the intervention in Amida West Sub-county is expected to provide an opportunity for communities to strengthen agricultural production and livestock rearing while improving their resilience to the effects of climate change.
The success of the project will, however, depend on strong coordination among the Ministry of Water and Environment, Kitgum District Local Government, implementing partners, sub-county leadership and the beneficiary communities, with each stakeholder fulfilling their clearly defined responsibilities.
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