Building the Climate Resilience of Agriculture Value Chains in Uganda through Stakeholder Dialogues

IISD collaborated with the Uganda Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Makerere University and the Climate and Development Knowledge Network on this innovative pilot initiative that aimed to address this gap by exploring how to take a more integrated approach to climate adaptation using a value chain approach. The initiative aimed to support the identification and management of climate impacts along the coffee value chain in Uganda. The analysis of climate impacts and responses along the value chain was based on a qualitative and participatory approach using Climate Dialogue Theatres—a method that uses drama to elucidate value chain actor perceptions of climate impacts and responses, and to promote adult learning on climate adaptation.

The project showed that climate hazards such as droughts, floods and changing rainfall patterns already negatively affect all actors along the coffee value chain, but in different ways and to different extents. Coffee farmers and processors generally tend to be more vulnerable to climate hazards than traders, middlemen and exporters, due to their limited diversification, weak organizational capacities and the unfavourable policy environment. Most actors are already making some effort to minimize the negative impacts of climate hazards on their activities, but not all responses are sustainable. Furthermore, there is evidence that a lack of communication and trust between and among actors along the value chain particularly hampers climate adaptation.

The study recommends three win-win solutions along the coffee value chain:

• To improve networking and partnerships among key actors for climate adaptation by strengthening existing platforms and structures at all levels and exploring the role of incentives (e.g., standards).
• To develop new, flexible financial products to support climate-resilient and inclusive agro-value chains through capacity building and innovative public-private partnerships.
• To increase investments in climate-resilient infrastructure such as roads, irrigation systems, storage facilities and telecommunications.

This work is one of a larger group of IISD projects focusing on climate change adaptation along agricultural value chains.