Our work

We engage in climate policy processes, information generation through research, and facilitate active dialogue among the youth and environment practitioners

STEPUP Essay Competition

Participants in this competition are expected to review and cite literature on the following;

Uganda’s position on developing its newly discovered oil and petroleum reserves on one hand; and its commitment to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Commitment by the UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP 27) in Egypt, on accelerating clean and just transitions to renewable energy.
Uganda’s current energy coverage and its energy sector strategy
Uganda’s Nationally Determined Contribution (2022)
Uganda Vision 2040 and the National Development Plan III (2020-2025).
Any other relevant literature

The essay competition seeks to stimulate participants to provide proactive long term and lasting solutions for future energy transition.

Your arguments should give realistic supporting and counter-arguments.

Topic: IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR UGANDANS TO ADOPT CLEAN ENERGY IN THE TRANSPORT, COOKING AND INDUSTRY SECTOR. IS IT TRUE? DISCUSS

Requirements:

Essays should be well researched with evidence and listing where this evidence is coming from.
Use of illustration or diagrams is encouraged
Essays should be 1000-1500 words, in Times New Roman, Font 12
The document should be in word or pdf format
Conclude your essay with recommendations – what various entities (government, non-government, private companies etc.) should do.

Who is eligible?

Secondary school students

Youth aged 20-30 years.

Ugandan women and men

Prize:

Youth	Secondary school students
1st – 750000	1st – 400000
2nd – 300000	2nd – 200000
3rd – 150000	3rd – 100000

ALL PARTICIPANTS SHOULD REGISTER HERE OR WHATSAPP 0726606375 THE FOLLOWING DETAILS;

NAME
EMAIL ADDRESS
INSTITUTION/SCHOOL
CONTACT NUMBER

Submission;

Via email: africastepup@gmail.com

Deadline: 30th August 2023

FOR INQUIRIES: roy.nabasumba@stepupstandard.com

Research on Soil Organic Carbon Status in Agricultural Systems in Six (6) Countries of East Africa (AgriFOSE 1).

The 4 per mille target is a global aspiration to sequester carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere into soils. This can contribute substantially to climate mitigation and reduce global warming.Through photosynthesis, CO2 is taken from the atmosphere to produce plant biomass and by returning plant and animal residues into farmlands and minimizing soil disturbance, it can be stored in the form of soil organic carbon for many years. It is said that African degraded lands have a large potential to sequester carbon. This research sought to generate evidence that this is possible, to inform policies in East Africa. It was done together with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) and the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT).

Study on food security and environmental tradeoffs in East Africa (AgriFOSE 2).

We are coordinating a regional task force to implement this study in partnership with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). Various studies have been published in peer reviewed journals on the potential to increase crop yield while minimizing environmental trade-offs through ecologically sustainable agricultural practices (integrated land use or land sharing) on the one hand; and through agricultural intensification on land segregated from that intended for conservation (land sparing) on the other. In this study we seek to make such information accessible to decision makers in Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania by synthesizing it in ways that respond to questions policy makers ask. It was kick-started with knowledge needs assessment meetings with stakeholders in each country.

Technological Needs Assessment (TNA).

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is running a project worldwide, termed Technology Needs Assessment (TNA), where governments prioritise sectors, for which they identify appropriate technologies to use to adapt to or mitigate climate change. Stakeholders in Uganda identified water, agriculture, forestry and energy. We are facilitating the assessment of technologies that address Uganda’s climate adaptation needs in the agriculture and water sectors. This project is implemented by the UNEP DTU partnership, Denmark and coordinated by the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST). The government of Uganda will write proposals at the end of this project, to seek support in implementing these technologies.

Technology, Markets and Investment for Low Carbon and Climate Resilient Development (TEMARIN

Mvua Water Harvesting Initiative Limited (MWHIL)

Under the TEMARIN project, one of the major outcomes was the formation of a Private sector led rainwater harvesting alliance consisting of government, civil society organisations and private sector institutions. its been operating since 2021 and these are some of the updates on its operations:

MWHIL interim committee has been meeting on an approximately quarterly basis. Fund-raising was a major issue in the January 2023 meeting.

The submission of the GCF concept note on rainwater harvesting is stalled due to government bureaucratic stages.
Through the Ministry of Environment, MWHIL has also just responded to a call from the African Water Facility – it mainly used the information in the concept note for GCF.
Private-sector fundraising is a possibility. For example, interest was expressed by the National Housing Company for installing rainwater harvesting facilities on its estates. The Alliance is working out mechanisms to respond to such requests.

MWHIL participated in the Uganda National Environment and Water week 2023 and shared a poster about itself in a space provided by GIZ, and young ladies (including those from STEPUP) interacted with visitors about various technology options for rainwater harvesting. Here are some of the highlights:

Most of the visitors were middle aged or older. More men than women, though women showed keener interest.
Main issues inquired about:

- Cost of installation
- Connecting RWH facilities to house piping systems
- Saving space when building storage – there was strong interest in the option of erecting a building on top of an underground RWH tank
- Ensuring good water quality – especially about micro-bacteria since this is not effectively eliminated through first-flushing
- Multiple purposes for harvested rainwater – domestic, agricultural (irrigation, aquaculture), institutional
- Harvesting from grass thatched huts
- Building a business out of RRWH – e.g., setting it up next to an institution with high water demands
- MWHIL: Geographical reach and achievements so far.
- Practical demonstration or models of rainwater harvesting technology options

3. Expressed interest in partnering with MWHIL:

- Building RRWH in a smart city initiative for Mukono and Lubaga – a lady leading the initiative
- Setting up Metered RWH in Refugee camps – UNHCR
- Setting up RWH in a 100 acre farm in West Nile
- Setting up RWH on a farm and house in Kabale