Climate smart agriculture amongst our farmer members Climate-smart agriculture is crucial to achieving future food security and climate change goals, as estimates indicate that climate change is likely to reduce agricultural productivity and production stability. Uganda is one of the countries that are highly vulnerable to climate change and climate variability. 
In the pilot districts of the project (Nakasongola and Sironko), consultative meetings were held with the District farmer leaders. These meetings (with both UNFFE and LTO-North) have become the basis on which the activities of this proposal have been formulated.
In these pilot districts the main environmental issues raised by farmers ranged from increased diseases and pests especially during droughts, death of live stock, inability to effectively predict seasons, crop loss because of both drought (Nakasongola) and floods (Sironko), reduction in crop yields and subsequently reduction in income earnings, increased frequencies of heavy winds leading to crop destruction, inaccurate meteorological data and increased cost of production. The farmers in these districts proposed some solutions which they wanted the project to implement: setting up demonstration farms, promote agro forestry, weather index insurance, weather information dissemination, drought resistant varieties, promote construction of contours, promoting water harvesting at the farm level, and promote minimum tillage. 

The overall objective of the project is to raise awareness among grassroots farmers on the adverse consequences of climate change and the possible mitigation and adaptation technologies available or which can be developed and adapted, with strong emphasis on adaptation.
Specific Objectives: 
1.	To carry out climate change sensitization campaigns at DFA level in the two pilot districts. 
2.	To train participating farmers in sustainable, environment-friendly tree planting and management techniques with focus on Agro-forestry practices. 
3.	To establish tree nursery beds in Sironko district for the production of tree seedlings which will be managed by the extension link farmers under whose guidance these will be constructed.
4.	To establish demonstration farms to act as centers of learning climate smart technologies in agro forestry for wind breaks, contour cropping in Sironko and water harvesting/drought resistant varieties in Nakasongola for the farmers in the districts.

Outputs:
At least 100 farmers in 2 sub counties in Sironko district are mobilized and sensitized/trained in agro forestry, contour cropping and soil management as a way to assist farmers in reducing the effects of the heavy winds and flooding in the district by the end of 2013.
At least 100 farmers in 2 sub counties in Nakasongola District are trained in Water harvesting technologies, good soil management practices and the use and availability of drought resistant varieties (1 training session per Sub County). 
At least 10 Extension Link Farmers are trained in climate smart technologies in a ToT training by the end of 2013. For each district the training will focus on the specific technologies to be demonstrated in the ELF’s district.
At least two (2) demonstration farms established and managed by a trained ELF in the pilot districts showing different on farm climate change adaptation measures in the different pilot districts.
Partnership meetings are held at the district and National level to create information sharing mechanisms between the National, district meteorology department and the DFAs and consequently to the farmers.

The Main activities planned are the following;

1. Dialogues with the different stakeholders at the beginning of the project

2. Conduct awareness trainings in 4 sub counties in the two pilot districts

3. Training of the Extension Link Farmers

4.Setting up of Establishment of Demonstration Farms (4) one in eah of the two sub counties in the project districts.

5. M&E visits this will be conducted mainly by the project manager to evaluate the progress of the project and with some stakeholders and the Chief Executive Secretary sometimes.

The Major Expected results include increased number of awareness of amongest members in the two districts about climate change, its impacts and the possible adaptation mechanisms, two demonstration farms set up at the sub county level acting as learning centers for other farmers, capacity of the districts extension link farmers built to facilitate learning of the other farmers and the increased number of farmers applying the promoted technologies on their farm by the end of the project.

This project will emphasize building of capacity at the district level so that even after the end of the project the district staff can continue to carry our awareness and trainings sustainably with in their routine programmes without requiring external funding for that.

The methodology used in this project can easily be up scaled in other districts taking into considerations the lesson that would have been learnt by the end of the project.

Overall Objective: 
The overall objective of the project is to raise awareness among grassroots farmers on the adverse consequences of climate change and the possible mitigation and adaptation technologies available or which can be developed and adapted, with strong emphasis on adaptation.

Specific Objectives:
1.	To carry out climate change sensitization campaigns at DFA level in the two pilot districts. 
2.	To train participating farmers in sustainable, environment-friendly tree planting and management techniques with focus on Agro- forestry practices. 
3.	To establish tree nursery beds in Sironko district for the production of tree seedlings which will be managed by the extension link farmers under whose guidance these will be constructed.
4.	To establish demonstration farms to act as centers of learning climate smart technologies in agro forestry for wind breaks, contour cropping in Sironko and water harvesting/drought resistant varieties in Nakasongola for the farmers in the districts.