environment 6 May 2026 The Observer (Uganda)
Uganda Boosts Climate Funding Reach to 24 Districts with Danish Support
Uganda has expanded its Local Facility programme, backed by Denmark's $23.4 million commitment, from four pilot districts in 2023 to 24 districts to deliver climate finance directly to vulnerable communities. The initiative emphasizes performance-based grants and technical assistance for local resilience projects amid rising climate threats. Source: https://observer.ug/news/uganda-expands-climate-funding-to-24-districts
Uganda is advancing its climate adaptation efforts by extending direct funding to more local areas. The government-supported Local Facility, run through the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), now covers 24 districts, up from an initial four pilots in 2023.
Denmark has pledged $23.4 million to fuel this growth, aiming to get resources to communities hit hardest by floods, droughts, and erratic weather. Ben Kumumanya, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, highlighted it as Uganda’s path to locally led climate finance during the 4th Annual National Local Workshops in Moroto and Gulu in April 2026.
Districts earn grants based on strong planning, execution, and accountability, integrated into the national fiscal transfer system. They also get technical help for projects like better water management, farmland protection, and weather-resistant infrastructure.
In four years, 14 districts invested Shs14 billion in such initiatives. New additions include Kasese, Nebbi, Nwoya, Nakapiripirit, Zombo, Kikuube, and Gulu, where leaders like Nwoya’s Deputy CAO Yusuf Akubonabona call the aid vital amid intensifying climate risks to farming and economies.
UNCDF’s Justine Adrain urged further expansion to keep the progress going.
Source: The Observer (Uganda)