The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Water and Environment Ministry has established a revolving fund worth Shillings 8 billion to support communities around wetlands to discourage them from engaging in unwanted activities such as rice cultivation in wetlands.
The revolving fund is part of the Integrated Water Resources Management Project, which targets to help the beneficiaries to establish new livelihood changing projects under the plan for the restoration and protection of wetlands, ecosystem and catchment area.
Several people have encroached on wetlands where they carry out various activities for their livelihoods. However, the government through the ministry of water and environment says that it is promoting wider suitable activities like fish farming and small scale irrigation that will be funded through the water and environment cooperatives in communities near wetlands.
The revolving project is to be piloted in Asubaki-etenge water catchment area in Agule village in Kapujan sub county in Toroma in Katakwi district where 39 registered members are. The project will also be implemented in other districts like Soroti, Ngora, Serere and Kumi in Kyoga region water catchment areas.
Maximo Twinomuhangi, an official from the Ministry of Water and Environment told URN that they will implement the revolving fund project after the demarcation of the wetland boundaries.
Pampilio Otim, 70, and resident of Agule village says they are going to comply with project guidelines as it might transform the communities if the implementers release the funds.
Robert Okiror, another resident has called for the timely implementation of the project since the beneficiaries are used to rice cultivation, which are they being discouraged from.
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