Ideal Approaches of Mobilising Local Communities to Participate in Climate Change Adaptation in Mpanga Catchment, Western Uganda

Over the years, the planning, implementation, and monitoring of climate change adaptation programmes in most catchments in Uganda have been neither participatory nor sustainable. Often, top-down models are at the centre of designing climate change adaptation programmes to conserve the environment and water resources. This study thus investigated the ideal approaches for mobilising local communities to participate in climate change adaptation in the Mpanga catchment in Western Uganda. The study worked with Participatory communication for development supported by catchment community development approaches to collect data from 580 respondents of Kamwenge, Kabarole, and Kyenjojo districts. Results revealed that the best approaches to mobilise local communities to participate in adaptation drives fully are categorised into two. Firstly, through the use of work with local services development strategies, communities’ participatory learning and action, community-based management systems, which involves sensitisation, formation and training to conserve the catchment, and public advocacy. Secondly, to work with the media, local leadership, religious leaders, cultural leaders and institutions (schools and markets). The most significant climate change adaptation measures undertaken in the catchment include tree planting, restoration of hilly and mountainous areas, wetland restoration, awareness creation, the establishment of institutions (Catchment Management Committees and Water User Groups), and promotion of income-generating activities such as revolving fund, incentives in the form of physical items like cows and trees. This chapter recommends carrying out massive awareness, capacity building, and implementing environmental policies from catchment to micro catchment levels to ensure the continuity of implemented climate change adaptation measures.