Uganda ACTED

SIRGE: Working Towards Climate-Smart Cattle Farming in Uganda

Uganda needs a functional inventory processes to enhance national capacity for GHG reporting to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Presently, estimates of GHG emissions have a high degree of uncertainty, mainly relying on default values (IPCC 2006 Tier 1 Methodology) developed by the IPCC, combined with expert opinion.

Meeting consumer demand while minimizing environmental impact

Meeting the growing and changing consumer demands for food and animal proteins, while reducing environmental and social impacts, is a current challenge facing the international beef industry.

 

Location

 

ACTED is implementing this project in Mbarara and Nakasongola Districts of Uganda.

What we do

 

Our project consists in fostering innovation and access of rural communities and institutions to new technologies for rural transformation through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impacts associated with the beef industry, as Uganda is lacking in effective livestock emissions policies, relevant date, infrastructures and awareness of the role of livestock farming in climate change.

The SIRGE project will include

  • Estimation of methane emissions using drone and satellite date
  • Estimation of carbon sequestration capacity in cattle rangelands
  • Investigation and improvement of cattle diets to respond to methane emissions
  • Development of a database for monitoring livestock-related greenhouse gas emissions

These activities will help Uganda face significant challenges as the impacts of climate change begin to be felt in the country.

 

*SIRGE = Strengthen an Innovative System for the Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Environmental Impacts of the Nascent Beef Industry in Uganda in Support to Rural Sustainable Transformation

Donor

ACTED conducts several projects across Uganda and East Africa with the generous support of the European Union and its various agencies, most notably in the sectors of assistance to displaced people and climate-change mitigation.

Partners

SIRGE ACTED EU UGANDA
ACTED is partnering with AgriTechTalk-Africa (ATTA) for the overall management of this project. ATTA is an international NGO providing technical assistance to agricultural and natural resource development programmes and projects, whether being implemented by other NGOs, community-based organisations (CBOs), international agencies (e.g. UN bodies), farmer cooperatives or government institutions.
SIRGE ACTED EU UGANDA
The Ministry of Water and Environment, Climate Change Department (MWE/CCD) is implementing the SIRGE Project as an associate partner. Being a climate change coordinating entity in Uganda, the CCD’s role in this project is to ensure that the project deliverables (emission factors and the database) are in line with the UNFCCC-IPCC guidelines and good practices. For the project, the CCD also takes care of mobilizing government stakeholders and facilitating the Project Steering Committee.
SIRGE ACTED EU UGANDA
The National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI) is one of 16 semi-autonomous agricultural public research institutes established for the purposes of providing livestock research services in Uganda. For this project, NaLIRRI provides technical support on rangeland development and animal nutrition.
SIRGE ACTED EU UGANDA
Environmental Surveys, Information, Planning and Policy Systems (ESIPPS) is a GIS and environmental consultancy company based in Uganda. It focuses on research, consultancy and capacity development in the field of environmental surveys and assessments, environment information, environment impact assessment, planning and policy. For this project, ESIPPS is responsible for developing the model to characterize and store the data in a relevant and efficient manner.
SIRGE ACTED EU UGANDA
Punta360 is a company providing services in various sectors that require commercial use of unmanned aerial vehicles to provide technical support. It eases access to precise data, thus enabling to optimise inputs and drive down costs. For this project, Punta360 is providing drones to conduct aerial measurements of methane contained in pastures, as well as produce emission mapping of regions surveyed.
SIRGE ACTED EU UGANDA
Agro-Pastoral Resilience Investment (APRI) is a company specialized in livestock practices. For this project, APRI is involved in identifying cattle-keeping practices and breed characteristics, especially with regard to feeding, productivity and methane emissions.