I greet you all in your capacities and as well welcome you to the 1st Semi-Annual Program review for the (FY 2020/2021) for the Natural Resources, Environment, Climate Change, Land and Water Management Program. Thank you for the demonstrated actively participation through presentation Great appreciation for the demonstrated leadership by the 2 Ministries for successfully organizing this semi-annual program performance review. In the same vein, many thanks for consideration of the CSOs to make this CSO statement as a way of active participating and contribution to this initiative. The development partners are equally appreciated for the financial and technical support towards implementation of the program aspirations Fellow CSOs, thanks for the continuous structured engagements with the Government through the respective line Ministries, Authorities and Departments by providing alternative policy recommendations for consideration. We congratulate the Ministry of Water and Environment and the Ministry of Lands Housing and Urban Development – for the good coordination during the preparation of the National Development Plan, III to come up with clear commitments, targets, and outputs for the Natural Resources, Environment, Climate Change, Land and Water Management Program. Furthermore, for the Programme achievements delivered to date as shared through the various presentations made since morning. This notwithstanding, we note that the Program still faces various challenges/limitations which limit performance and program delivery against the set commitments, targets, and outputs
The following are some of the key challenges/limitations:
- Inadequate resources to support policy implementation, enforcement and services delivery in the water, environment, climate change, natural resources and land sub sectors especially at the lower local government levels. For instance, the budget allocations to the environment & natural resources is at 3.7% of the total budget (for the FY 202021). Thus, on average the environment and natural resources sector receives about 800 billion shillings annually. However, investments required to address program issues is estimated at 9 times the current funding investment (MWE, 2018). The current funding is far below the estimated national adaptation costs 194.5 million USD per year, (National Climate change Policy, (2013). Previous experience showed that inadequate funding to the across sectors resulted in failure in deliver on several targets under the NDP II, (2015/16-2019/20).
- Severe reduction in the forest cover and wetland degradation (thus, currently 12.4 and 8.9%, respectively, MWE, 2020) which exacerbate the effects of climate change on Water, Environment and Agriculture,
- Climate variability and change associated impacts including: raising water levels resulting into flooding in the Lake Victoria, Albert and Kyoga basins. Thus, climate induced disasters are more prevalent in various parts of the country.Corona Virus Disease – 19 (COVID-19) Pandemic total lock down impacted on all the sectors and the economy, largely due to restricted movements, loss of business and livelihoods. Besides various development projects were suspended due to reduction in financial flows, there compromising implementation, enforcement and service delivery in the water, environment, climate change, natural resources and land sub sectors.
Suggested recommendations going forward
- Step up resources (e.g. financial, human, technological) allocation to support effective implementation of the planned undertakings and the associated commitment and targets for the Natural Resources, Environment, Climate Change, Land and Water Management Program. This requires structured engagement with high level decision makers e.g. Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development; National Planning Authority; President’s office.