资源环境科技发展态势分析平台

The Clean Energy Project is supporting District Local governments (DLGs) in the Albertine Graben to develop District Renewable Energy Strategies as one of the measures to increase energy access in Uganda. These documents are expected to provide a strategic framework for decentralisation of energy access in the country, with DLGs taking leadership in setting local targets and defining appropriate measures to increase access to sustainable and renewable energy.
 
WWF-UCO in partnership with Kiima Foods held a stakeholder workshop to convene 27 representatives from Koboko, Kibaale, Rubirizi, Arua and Masindi districts to develop their District Renewable Energy Strategies.
 
The two day meeting, which was held in Mukono from 24^th to 25^th October 2018, provided a platform for WWF-UCO and Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development to give technical guidance to the DLGs in the development of their District Renewable Energy Strategies.
 
The meeting was opened by Jacob Etunganan, who represented the Coordinator of the Energy, Climate and Extractives Programme at the meeting. He mentioned that WWF as an organization has a mission to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. It is in line with this mission that WWF-UCO is working with partners such as government to put in place mechanisms that accelerate and foster conservation initiatives such as sustainable renewable energy development.
 
The remarks from MEMD were delivered by Mr. Amos Tamusuza, a Senior Energy Officer at the Ministry. He provided guidance to the participants on the steps to be undertaken during the District Strategy development process as well as the content that should be included in their Strategies. He further informed the participants that with the strategies in place it would be easy for the Districts to not only work with donors and energy stakeholders in their localities but also with MEMD on streamlining plans based on the energy sector priorities. The participants were thereafter guided by Center for Integrated Research and Community Development Uganda (CIRCODU), a local Consultant working with WWF-UCO and Kiima Foods, in completing the different sections of the Strategies.
 
During the meeting sessions, WWF-UCO Renewable Energy Manager, Ibrahim Mutebi emphasized the importance of energy mainstreaming by providing context on the linkage that exists in relation to environmental protection, poverty reduction and economic growth.
 
He further noted that full mainstreaming can be effectively achieved by avoiding the paradigm of working on energy issues in silos. He advised the LGs to ensure that the Strategies show how energy issues are integrated locally across various sectors, for example health, education, agriculture, etc. and consumption levels (domestic, institutional and productive use).
In order to meet the agreed targets, he also noted the need for dialogue and multi-stakeholder approaches to establish and strengthen collaboration on promoting sustainable renewable energy.
 
 
Mr. Joseph Katswera, District Natural Resources Officer for Kasese District, called on the five DLGs to continue demonstrating ownership, go a step further to develop Action Plans  and mainstream renewable energy issues in their District Plans and Budgets, just like Kasese District had done to reach the level they are today. The two day meeting was concluded with first drafts in place for Koboko, Kibaale and Rubirizi districts and final drafts for Arua and Masindi districts.