Northern Uganda Battles Climate Crisis with Water Retention and Community Action

Northern Uganda is grappling with intensifying climate challenges, including prolonged droughts, sudden floods, and widespread environmental damage. These issues isolate communities from vital services, hitting women and youth hardest by limiting access to health centers and fueling problems like teenage pregnancies.

Local efforts are stepping up, with residents in Geregere Sub-county, Agago district, building water retention ponds to combat decade-long flooding. During the 2026 Uganda Water and Environment Week in Lira City, themed ‘environment and water inclusivity for a prosperous Uganda,’ stakeholders highlighted human factors like tree-cutting, swamp farming, and poor waste handling as key aggravators.

Joel Agabi, water minister at Lango Cultural Institution, warned that without action, crop yields will plummet, risking famine. Morris Chris Ongom of Global Forum for Development stressed shifting to grassroots initiatives amid urbanization pressures in Lira, where industrial growth brings waste and pollution risks.

Ongom called for businesses to adopt Environmental, Social, and Governance principles and invest in carbon credits. Paskwale Kerudong from the Ministry of Water and Environment advocated viewing floods as chances for water harvesting to offset droughts, pushing proactive management over reactive responses.

Infrastructure upgrades are underway, with the National Water and Sewerage Corporation boosting Lira’s supply from 6.5 million to 13 million liters daily. The ministry is embracing bottom-up planning with communities, religious groups, and cultural leaders, while partnering with universities to train skilled professionals.

This article is based on a report from Daily Monitor (Uganda).