Uganda’s Green Revolution: Climate Fund Initiative Boosts Gender Equality and Economic Resilience in Kotido

In the arid terrain of Kotido, northeastern Uganda, a trailblazing initiative is redefining climate resilience and gender inclusion. Backed by the Africa Climate Change Fund (ACCF) and managed by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the project is positioning Uganda as a continental model for integrated environmental and social development.

Titled "Enhancing Gender Equality in Access to Land Resources for Transformative Climate Change Adaptation in the IGAD Region," the initiative is being implemented by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). It combines ecological restoration with women's empowerment to tackle the pressing challenges of land degradation and gender inequality.

Women Lead the Charge in Sustainable Land Use

For generations, women in Kotido have played a central role in agricultural labor but have lacked access to land and a voice in agricultural governance. This project is flipping that narrative. More than 130 women, along with local civil society representatives and district officials, have received training in sustainable land management and tree planting.

This emporwemtn is not symbolic—it equips women with practical tools to reclaim land and contribute directly to climate adaptation efforts. In doing so, the project is forging new leadership roles for women in climate-smart agriculture. According to Uganda’s Ministry of Agriculture, women constitute over 70% of the agricultural workforce yet own less than 20% of land. This initiative aims to redress that imbalance.

Strategic Investment, Transformative Results

With a modest budget of $470,000, the pilot project is proving that targeted funding can yield significant outcomes. Through reforestation efforts, community sensitisation, and the adoption of climate-resilient land practices, degraded soils in Kotido are beginning to regain fertility. Increased vegetative cover is also improving water retention—an essential need in a region where average annual rainfall can dip below 700 mm and drought cycles are intensifying.

These ecological gains are opening pathways to new economic opportunities. By promoting sustainable timber harvesting, agroforestry, and value chains for non-timber forest products such as shea nuts and gum arabic, the initiative is expanding livelihood options. This could significantly impact household income levels in a region where over 60% of the population lives below the poverty line, particularly benefiting women and youth.

Policy Synergy for Climate and Gender Equity

One of the project’s most groundbreaking aspects lies in its governance innovation. For the first time in Uganda’s recent development history, the ministries responsible for land, gender, and environment are collaborating on a unified policy agenda. This inter-ministerial coordination is ensuring that climate adaptation strategies and gender inclusion efforts are no longer treated in isolation.

Rather than implementing stand-alone interventions, the project integrates legal reforms, customary land tenure education, and environmental protection into a single, harmonised approach. Officials are working to ensure land access and use rights are equitably distributed, and that women's ownership is recognised both legally and culturally.

This policy cohesion also increases the long-term impact of climate finance, helping ensure funds support systemic change rather than one-off projects. It’s a lesson that could reshape development frameworks across Africa, where fragmented governance often undermines sustainable results.

Scaling Local Success: Kotido’s Model for East African Climate Adaptation

What began as a local pilot in Kotido is fast becoming a model for East Africa. Situated in the Karamoja sub-region—one of Uganda's most vulnerable to climate shocks—the project holds valuable lessons for the broader IGAD region, which spans Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda.

The initiative aligns closely with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land). Its success underscores how climate investments—when paired with equity-driven design and grassroots participation—can catalyse lasting change.

Donors and private investors are beginning to take notice. According to the AfDB, the model is already being evaluated for scale-up opportunities in other arid and semi-arid zones, where land degradation, poverty, and gender inequality intersect.

Climate Justice Rooted in Community

As Uganda reclaims its degraded landscapes and uplifts its most marginalised citizens, it is offering more than resilience—it is charting a course toward prosperity and justice. By putting women at the center of climate adaptation and aligning ecological goals with social empowerment, the Kotido initiative is setting a powerful precedent for sustainable development in Africa.

In a time when climate change is deepening global inequalities, Uganda is showing that community-led solutions, when backed by the right support and policy framework, can sow the seeds of inclusive, long-term growth.

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