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Last week, the NDC Action project validation workshop in Uganda brought together high-level stakeholders to discuss the implementation of Uganda’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Key presentations highlighted the integration of results of the NDC Action project, including innovative climate technologies, such as solar irrigation, picture-based insurance and e-cooking, as well as the development of a blended finance tool to support Uganda’s low-carbon development goals.

A training session aimed at empowering champion farmers with smartphone technology concluded successfully during the week of April 22nd to 26th. The training, which saw a robust attendance of 213 participants, focused on teaching farmers how to use the Picture Based Insurance (PBI) application on their smartphones. This initiative is part of a broader effort to raise awareness among farmers about the benefits of insurance, particularly against climate risks.

The NDC Action Project, in collaboration with the Government of Uganda, Agriculture and Climate Risk Enterprise Ltd.  (ACRE) Africa, Agro Consortium (U) Limited (AIC), the Banana Industrial Research and Development Centre (BIRDC) hosted a side event at COP28 focused on innovative insurance products tailored for smallholder banana farmers.

The Banana Industrial Research Development Centre (BIRDC), Agro Consortium, and Acre Africa jointly unveiled a Hybrid Index Insurance Solution in Uganda, made possible through the Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator. This one-year pilot initiative is an outcome of the NDC Action project and aims to enhance resilience and facilitate climate change adaptation for smallholder farmers in the Bushenyi and Sheema districts.

UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre co-hosted a hybrid international workshop in Kampala, Uganda, alongside Last Mile Climate on the 8 November 2023.

The all-day session was opened by Hon. Beatrice Atim Anywar, Minister of State for Environment for Uganda and attended by more than 150 people; half in-person and half virtually.

The workshop highlighted trailblazing initiatives on transitioning households to solar e-cooking, transforming waste into green jobs, and reforestation projects through innovative financing.

The overall objectives of the 3-day working session were two-fold 1) for key actors to share information on plans related to a national Blended Finance Mechanism for solar irrigation systems, solar dryers and agroforestry in Uganda; 2) to agree on how to collaborate and consolidate technical resources and proposals for impact, where the NDC Action Project can both convene and lead multi-stakeholder efforts.

The three days were structured as follows:

The Uganda Banana Industrial Research and Development Centre (BIRDC) has won a funding from the Adaptation Fund-UNDP Innovation Small Grant Aggregator Platform (ISGAP) under Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator to lead a consortium comprising of the Agriculture and Climate Risk Enterprise Ltd.  (ACRE) Africa and Agro Consortium Uganda Limited (AIC). The aim is to implement a project on “Innovative Hybrid Index Insurance Solution to Mitigate Climate Risks for Smallholder Banana Farmers in Uganda”.