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Begin New Search Political Geography Africa Content Type Research Paper Publishing Institution Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE)

1. The Functionality of Uganda’s Single Spine Agricultural Extension System

Author:
Elijah Dickens Mushemeza
Publication Date:
01-2023
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE)
Abstract:
This report presents the findings and discussions on the functionality of the single-spine agricultural extension system in Uganda. The recommendations from the research process will potentially inform the implementation of the new national agricultural extension strategy aligned to the NDP III, the Parish Model and the national agenda of socio-economic transformation. The single spine extension system was conceptualized as a well-coordinated, harmonized, public sectorled pluralistic extension system. The aim was to eliminate the parallel institutional arrangements that emerged during the NAADS program implementation. It aims at enhancing agricultural production and productivity, value addition, food security, household income and export. In addition, it focuses on building the capacity of individual farmers and farmer institutions to have greater access to and control over structures and processes that transform their resources and assets into the outcomes that they desire to achieve their goals. The study sought to address four objectives: (i) assessing the effectiveness of coordination among key actors (including clarity of mandates) in the delivery of agricultural extension; (ii) assessing the functionality of transparency and accountability mechanisms in the single spine agricultural extension system; (iii) assessing the performance of the system in the attainment of key agricultural extension outcomes; and (iii) assessing the effects of COVID-19 on the delivery of agricultural extension services. The report gives a background to the reform and an overview of the strategy that has been used to implement it. The report gives the methodology utilised in the research process, the limitations of the study and how methodological challenges were addressed. The report brings out the findings in relation to the objectives set and in particular; on coordination dilemmas, transparency and accountability mechanisms, and performance of the system and the effects of COVID-19 on the delivery of agricultural extension service.
Topic:
Agriculture, Governance, Reform, and Policy Implementation
Political Geography:
Uganda and Africa

2. Compliance Assessment of the FY 2023/24 Budget to Climate Change Interventions in the Third National Development Plan (NDPIII)

Author:
Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE)
Publication Date:
01-2023
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE)
Abstract:
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) affirms that climate change is occurring in the world today. Climate change is a global development challenge with adverse effects manifested in different ways at national and local levels especially in the vulnerable least prepared countries like Uganda. It is associated with negative severe effects on human well-being and ecosystems which equally hinders the achievement of sustainable development and social equity goals hence becoming one of the drivers of exclusion. This makes it an urgent problem that requires global, regional and national efforts towards effective mitigation and adaptation responses. Swift effective response to climate change could significantly contribute to the attainment of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while delayed action is predicted to have severe and irreversible consequences for natural and human systems. Uganda’s frameworks to sustainable development (Uganda’s Vision 2040, the NDP III, sectoral policies and plans) highlight climate change as an outstanding development challenge. This implies that the attainment of the country’s long-term development goals and the building of resilient communities that will mitigate and adapt to climate change largely depends on the significant allocation of financial resources to climate change interventions specified in the development frameworks. The NDPIII 2020/21-2024/25) not only integrates climate change across all its twenty (20) programmes but also provides for their strategic interventions and targets. This integration trickles down to the NDPIII Results Framework and Programme Implementation Action Plans (PEAPs) and is also supposed to fully cascade down to the national budget. This report presents the compliance assessment of the FY 2023/24 budget to climate change interventions in the third National Development Plan (NDPIII) based on ten (10) priority programmes selected due to their real or potential contribution to climate change and their strategic importance to the development process. Overall, the analysis revealed that the FY2023/24 Annual Budget (AB) to climate change interventions in NDP III is unsatisfactory at 55.35 percent which is slightly lower than last year’s compliance level of 64.7 percent. However, there were variations in the compliance levels of the different programmes. The programmes on Sustainable Development of Petroleum Resources programme (83.3%), and Sustainable Minerals Development programme (80%) had a satisfactory level of compliance. On the other hand, the programmes of Human Capital Development (62.5%), Integrated transport infrastructure and services (61.1%), and Tourism development (66.7%) had a moderately satisfactory level of compliance. Lastly, the programmes of Sustainable Urbanisation and housing (56.7%), Natural Resources, Environment, Climate Change, Water and Land Management (56.3%), Agro-industrialization programme (28%), Digital transformation (40%), Private Sector Development (0%) had a far below an unsatisfactory level of compliance (below 60%).
Topic:
Climate Change, Budget, and Sustainable Development Goals
Political Geography:
Uganda and Africa

3. A Framework for Assessing Implementation of Economic Inclusion Programmes in Uganda

Author:
Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE)
Publication Date:
08-2022
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE)
Abstract:
Reducing inequality and inclusive growth are at the top of the global development agenda. The theme of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to “end poverty in all its forms everywhere by 2030”. SDG 8 specifi cally addresses inclusive and sustainable growth. The eradication of poverty and attaining middle income status remains Uganda’s main national development goal as laid out in the National Development Plan (NDP III) 2020/21 – 2024/25. Whereas Uganda experienced sustained economic growth during the pre-Covid-19 period, there were indications that poverty was not reducing, and that inequality was increasing. The Covid-19 pandemic and prolonged lock down exacerbated the situation with almost 3% of the people falling into poverty and compounding inequality. As the world and the country builds back, there is need for specifi c focus of those excluded from economic opportunities. Economic Empowerment Programmes (EIPs) are increasingly being used the world over as vehicles for achieving inclusive economic growth. EIPs have been described as ‘a bundle of coordinated multidimensional interventions that support individuals, households and communities in increasing incomes and assets. For Uganda, implementation of the EIP has been aff ected by poor design and implementation as well as corruption that have rendered the EIPs ineff ective. At the same time, performance evaluations of the EIPs undertaken have had limited infl uence on the design of subsequent programmes. In many cases same interventions have been repackaged under diff erent names and touted as new programmes. There is no doubt that improving the plight of the poor and other categories of people excluded from economic opportunities will require eff ective implementation of EIPs. This Framework for Assessing Implementation of EIPs in Uganda is part of eff orts to improve implementation of the EIP. It is motivated by the inadequacy of existing frameworks to cause change in the design and execution of EIPs in Uganda. The framework is rooted in social accountability and builds on previous works of the Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE) on governance and public expenditure analysis and monitoring. The theory of change for this EIP framework is assess, disseminate, advocate. By assessing the designs and implementation of EIPs and disseminating the fi ndings of the assessment to implementers and benefi ciaries and using the fi ndings for advocacy, then the design and implementation of EIPs will improve and with it the likelihood of achieving programme outcomes and ultimately impact. The framework has six assessment areas namely programme design, effi cacy, quality of M&E, effi ciency, compliance, and risk management. It is guided by the following principles: social accountability, participation, empowerment for engagement, learning and optimisation.
Topic:
Development, Economy, Policy Implementation, and Inclusion
Political Geography:
Uganda and Africa

4. Strengthening Climate Resilience through Integration of Climate Change, Women and Youth Issues in Uganda's Agriculture Sector: Analysis of Agriculture Related Policies and Programmes

Publication Date:
10-2019
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE)
Abstract:
This report provides insights into building a gender sensitive climate smart agriculture while reducing the vulnerability of women, youth and refugees to the adversity impacted by climate change. It shows that successful mainstreaming of climate change in the agricultural sector and implementation of gender sensitive climate resilient agricultural policies, programmes and practices require strong and reliable climate information services and early warning systems, enhanced technical and institutional capacities, enabling legal framework, and strong monitoring and reporting mechanisms. A strong commitment to innovative climate financing and increasing budget allocation for climate change to the sectors especially Local Governments (LGs) is also essential.
Topic:
Agriculture, Climate Change, Gender Issues, and Government
Political Geography:
Uganda and Africa

5. Contract Transparency in Uganda's Petroleum and Mining Sectors

Author:
Paul Bagabo, Onesmus Mugyenyi, Siragi Magara, and Paul Twebaze
Publication Date:
08-2019
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE)
Abstract:
This publication draws from the literature on contract transparency as well as interviews with key experts in Uganda's extractives sector. It concludes that while legal frameworks on transparency and disclosure provisions exist, they have not been effective in ensuring that citizens gain access to information on the details of the contracts; and the level of contract transparency and disclosure in the oil and gas sector is higher than in the mining sector. While information on mining licenses is provided on the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development website and the mining cadastre is publicly available, vital information on actual deposits and revenue sharing is not publicly available. Uganda is party to several transparency initiatives and publicly committed to joining the Extractives Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). Despite the membership to these initiatives, the level of transparency and disclosure of extractives contracts is still low. In order to ensure that contract transparency contributes to increased accountability in the sector, this publication makes several recommendations.
Topic:
Oil, Natural Resources, Democracy, and Citizenship
Political Geography:
Uganda and Africa

6. Review of Gender Budgeting at Sub-National Level in Uganda: Insights from Mbarara, Mukono and Soroti Districts

Author:
Elijah Mushemeza, Daniel Lukwago, and George Bogere
Publication Date:
01-2019
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE)
Abstract:
These are the fi ndings of the study that analysed gender responsiveness in budgeting at sub-national level in Uganda. It studied how gender was mainstreamed in the budgets for health and agriculture in three districts, namely, Mukono, Soroti, and Mbarara. The study found that mainstreaming gender into budgets at sub-national level was minimal. Focus was largely on budget formulation with little emphasis on stages of budget execution, evaluation and audition. At the same time, mainstreaming gender at budget formulation stage was beset by signifi cant limitations. Thus, gender responsiveness of budgets at sub-national level remains low. This paused serious challenges in efforts to alleviate the plight of women who were faced with various forms of marginalisation, calling for gender mainstreaming in budgeting. The fi ndings underscore the implications of overdependence of districts on conditional grants from central government for Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) in Uganda. The common view among respondents was that, sub-national governments do not have suffi cient discretion to implement GRB. Also, stringent fi nancing of local governments made undertaking participatory processes untenable further constraining GRB at subnational level. Furthermore, the guidelines and information for GRB at district level were inadequate. Nevertheless, the meager information available, such as, sex-disaggregated data, was hardly used in planning and budgeting at that level. On a positive note, the study found that there was a high level of awareness of guidelines for GRB among respondents and were highly appreciative of gender inequality as an important development issue at district level. There was also a good understanding of gender issues in the agriculture and health sectors at that level, in conformity with the National Development Plan (NDP II), and the gender compacts for agriculture and heath sectors.
Topic:
Governance, Public Spending, Gender, and Budgeting
Political Geography:
Uganda and Africa

7. Decentralisation in Uganda: Trends, Achievements, Challenges and Proposals for Consolidation

Author:
Elijah Mushemeza
Publication Date:
01-2019
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE)
Abstract:
This report examines the inception and implementation of the decentralisation policy in Uganda and proposes somes reforms. It is an outcome of a comprehensive study of how the decentralisation policy was implemented. It seeks to appraise the practice in terms of achievements and challenges in the legal, policy, and institutional framework. Uganda conceptualised the decentralisation policy and programmes to: build democratic governance, responsive and accountable to the public; and promote capacity building at the local level. This was to be achieved by introducing local choices into the delivery of services, and fostering a sense of local ownership. From this perspective, decentralisation was for better services delivery to the people. It was also hoped that once decentralisation was undertaken by government, the local populace would own up government programmes. They would be more willing to participate and possibly contribute to the design and implementation of such programmes and even be ready to pay taxes. The decentralisation policy continues to be relevant for democratisation and political out reach. Nonetheless, study findings show that the decentralisation policy has suffered adverse financing constraints and several other challenges discussed here.
Topic:
Development, Governance, Decentralization, and Capacity Building
Political Geography:
Uganda and Africa

8. Financing Local Governments in Uganda An analysis of the Proposed National Budget FY 2019/20 and Proposals for Re-allocation

Author:
Ramathan Ggoobi and Daniel Lukwago
Publication Date:
01-2019
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE)
Abstract:
The Central Government is required by Article 193 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda 1995 (as amended) to provide grants to LGs in form of unconditional, conditional and equalisation grants. However, there has been a decline in transfers from Central Government to LGs; the share of the national budget allocated to LG programs reduced to 10 percent in FY2018/19 from 13 percent in 2016/17. The decline is largely attributed to recentralisation of functions and resources that by law are mandated to LGs. Therefore, Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE) with support from USAID and UKAID under the Governance, Accountability, Participation and Performance (GAPP) program commissioned this study to analyse the proposed national budget allocations for FY 2019/20 to ascertain budgetary allocations that should be implemented by the Local Governments (LGs) but retained by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and recommend for reallocation to LGs with a view of influencing the final budget allocations. The study relied mainly on an extensive document review of all relevant budget documents focusing mainly on the Draft Estimates of Expenditure (Recurrent and Development) FY 2019/20. Identifying budget lines meant for LGs, was done through three stages, by determining whether: budget line was relevant or not to LGs; the identified budget line could be transferred directly to the LGs or not; and the budget line could be rationalized by the MDAs to improve service delivery and also free funds for LGs. The exercise explicitly took a ‘prioritised’ approach to identify LG relevant budgets and did not exhaustively review each and every expenditure item within the national budget. The approach was to identify those sectors with decentralised functions as prescribed in the LG Act (schedule 2), which included: Agriculture, Education, Health, Social Development, Water and Environment, and Works and Transport.
Topic:
Governance, Budgeting, and Local Government
Political Geography:
Uganda and Africa

9. Supporting Business Opportunities for Rural Women in East and Southern Africa: A Case Study of Uganda

Author:
Susan Namirembe Kavuma, Florence K. Muhanguzi, George Bogere, Kiran Cunningham, and Irene Achola
Publication Date:
01-2019
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE)
Abstract:
The project on Supporting Business Opportunities for Rural Women in East and Southern Africa was implemented in Zimbabwe, Uganda and Kenya as a collaborative and cross-country project by three institutions. In Zimbabwe, project was implemented by The Institute of Environment Studies (IES), in Uganda by Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE) and the Collaborative Centre for Gender and Development (CCGD) in Kenya. The overall aim of the project was to support the economic empowerment of rural women in value addition businesses through identifcation and Sromotion of YiaEle Eusiness enterSrises tKat lead to tKe creation of decent and sustainaEle MoEs 6Secifcall\ tKe SroMect sougKt to i e[amine tKe structural barriers that constrain women from becoming more innovative and their ability to take advantage of the opportunities available for business development; ii) Identify and explore the opportunities that exist off-farm for rural women, including activities that tend to be male-dominated and of higher value; iii) Contribute to evidence based policy advocacy on designing innovative interventions to empower rural women in business enterprises; iv) Build and enhance the entrepreneurial capacity of women owned/managed small and medium enterprises in selected rural areas; and v) Document and disseminate best practices for empowering rural women to participate in business enterprises.
Topic:
Development, Women, Economy, Business, Rural, and Opportunity
Political Geography:
Uganda and Africa

10. Civic Engagement: Activating the Potentials of Local Governance in Uganda

Author:
Arthur Bainomugisha, Lillian Muyomba-Tamale, Wilson Winstons Muhwezi, Kiran Cunningham, and Eugene Gerald Ssemakula
Publication Date:
01-2018
Content Type:
Research Paper
Institution:
Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE)
Abstract:
Civic Engagement: Activating the Potentials of Local Governance in Uganda is the theme of this seventh Local Government Councils Scorecard Report for FY 2016/17. After eight years of conducting assessments about the performance of local governments and building the capacity of elected political leaders and engaging citizens, noticeable improvements have been registered at the community, local government, and central government levels. At the community level, citizens’ engagement with their local government leaders is intensifying, as evidenced by the surge of civic engagement action plans leading to the submission of petitions, letters and SMS messages to councils. At the local government level, responsiveness is increasing, as evidenced in the rising performance scores in the areas of monitoring and meetings with constituents, and by local government officials’ engagement in the civic engagement action planning processes. At the central government level, the memorandum of understanding between local governments and the Parliament of Uganda signed earlier this year is an important underpinning of increased policy response.
Topic:
Governance, Civic Engagement, and Local Councils
Political Geography:
Uganda and Africa