The document summarizes an intervention by the Agency For Inter-regional Development (AFID) to strengthen adaptive capacities for drought-induced feed stress in Nakasongola district, Uganda. The project trained 101 farmers, mostly women, in hay making techniques to cope with dry season feed shortages. It provided hay making equipment, constructed eight hay storage facilities, and distributed pasture seeds. Training was also provided in pasture identification and management. The intervention helped farmers better cope with drought by adopting hay as animal feed when pastures are scarce. However, more work is needed to promote less labor-intensive hay making and to integrate water resource management practices to ensure both feed and water availability.

1. Strengthening adaptive
capacities for drought-induced
feed stress in Nakasongola
NAKAGGWA Flavia
Agency For Inter-regional Development
(AFID)
22-26 July 2013, Rider Hotel

2. Background
 The ECA is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to climate
variability and change due to its predominantly semi-arid and arid climate
that constitutes more than 70% of the land mass and confronted with
extreme climatic events such as droughts and floods.
 The frequency and magnitude of drought events are increasing (IPCC,
2007; Morton, 2006; Seo and Mendelsohn 2006), taking lives of people
and livestock and affecting livelihoods.
 There are at least eight severe drought episodes in Africa in the last four
decades: 1972-74, 1981-84, 1986-87, 1991-92, 2000-2001, 2005-2006,
2008-2009 and more recently 2010-2011 with Sub-Saharan Africa is
currently experiencing severe droughts at intervals of less than 5 years
with severe consequences on people livelihoods and their livestock.
 The severe droughts are catastrophic to economy and livelihoods of
pastoralists today, because they have limited options for livelihoods.

3. Background contd
 Nakasongola district is located in Uganda’s dry
land areas commonly referred to as the cattle
corridor.
 The cattle corridor is characterized by irregular
and low rainfall, experiencing periodic droughts.
 These areas are facing challenges in population
pressure, diminishing access to pasture and
water, fencing of land and conflicts between
livestock owners and crop farmers.

4. Location of Nakasongola District in
the cattle corridor

5. Background contd
 Nakasongola is well endowed with water
resources in form of direct precipitation, ground
and surface water.
 The district borders with share L. Kyoga,
shares three rivers i.e. Kafu, Victoria Nile, and
R. Sezibwa, and river Rugogo.
 The water sources are unevenly distributed due
to the area’s relief.

6. Nabiswera
Nakitoma
Wabinyonyi
Nakasongola
D/HQ
Source: Directorate of Water Resources , 2010 (modified)
Water Sources Distribution

7. Environmental concerns in the District
Drought leading to pasture and water stress
Overstocking has contributed to declining quantity and
quality of pastures and stock (Nabiswera and Nakitoma Sub-
counties).
Overgrazing This is as a result of over stocking and other factors
that have led to overgrazing are communal grazing, growth
in human population, poverty, bush burning, immigration
Soil erosion and lack of soil conservation practices by
smallholder farmers, who are the majority.

8. AFID INTERVENTION
 Project :
 Women in Haymaking for Agro-pastoral
Dry Season Feeding in Nakasongola
District
Why?
 Attenuate the Effects of Dry season feed
stress
 Vulnerability of Agro pastoral Women-
engaging in night grazing

9. Coping
Mechan
ism
W
omen
HADF
PROJECT
INTERVEN
TION

10. AFID INTERVENTION
Strengthening adaptive capacities for drought induced
feed stress through “capacity building of women in
hay making for dry season feeding”.
Activities:
 Logistical support (procurement and distribution of hay
making equipment for harvesting, drying and baling hay)
and construction of hay storage facilities.
 Training: Hay making demonstrations, pasture
identification and management, promote re-vegetation by
providing farmers with pasture seed and tree seedlings
 Knowledge sharing using platforms like exhibitions and
publications

11. PARTNERS
 UNDP- SLM / MAAIF: Women in Haymaking for
Agro-pastoral Dry Season Feeding in
Nakasongola District
 ASARECA : Livestock and fisheries program:
Exploiting market opportunities of dairy
products value chain
 NARO/ BULINDI: Up-scaling feed packaging and
feed conservation innovations to increase feeds
availability and mitigate effects of Drought crises
in pastoral systems in ECA”.

12. Evidence of the drought

13. Achievements- Capacity Building
Package
Built capacity for hay making to reduce the impact of
feed stress among the agro-pastoralists with ;
1. Training
 101 farmers trained in hay making (45 men and 56
women) at the eight PLSs
 87 farmers were trained in pasture identification and
management (46 women and 41men)

14. 2. Infrastructure Support
 Hay making technologies were procured distributed among
the target beneficiaries
 8 (Eight) Hay storage facilities were constructed
 Knowledge sharing with partner organisations like world
vision and the local government
 Pasture seeds of glycine and centrosema were distributed and
planted by a few farmers. In addition, tree seedlings of
calliandra and leuceana were planted
 Animals have adapted to feeding hay

15. Trainings
 Training in hay making

16. Training in pasture identification and
management
 Participatory Pasture
identification and
management

17. Hay storage facility

18. Pasture rejuvenation

19. Knowledge sharing

21. Lesson learned
 Attenuating pasture stress is not enough as
water access is very vital in livestock
productivity and uptake of knowledge
 The attitude and practice to hay making is still
low but with lots potential to be improved
 The technology used is labour intensive. Less
labour technology should be employed

22. Actions taken
Partnership with other organisations like ASARECA, Local government, NARO
BULINDI and World vision.
“Up-scaling feed packaging and feed conservation innovations to increase
feeds availability and mitigate effects of Drought crises in pastoral systems
in ECA”.
Activities to be included are:
Mapping vulnerability in pastoral and agropastoral, baseline survey, training
farmers in conservation areas.
Resources monitoring and establishment of a community based early
warning system
Strengthen herd splitting strategies to cope with drought
Enhance appropriate feed conservation strategies
Policies to facilitate wide adoption of feed conservation and other resource
management strategies to minimize livestock losses and ensure prompt
recovery of the livestock sector recommended and advocated

23. Conclusion
 A holistic approach is relevant in project
design to integrate IWRM practices
 IWRM in very vital in ensuring feed
conservation
 Climate change is real

24. Thank you very much for listening