Japan-funded rice project boosts harvests in Uganda refugee communities

Refugees and host communities in Uganda’s Yumbe and Madi Okollo districts are seeing improved rice harvests through a Japanese-funded initiative. The Project for the Implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Refugee Settlements and Host Communities aims to promote economic empowerment and peaceful coexistence.

Implemented by Peace Winds Japan in collaboration with UN Women Uganda and the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), the project provides technical training and high-quality seeds, specifically the NERICA 4 variety. The intervention focuses on drought-resilient and disease-resilient crops to mitigate the impact of climate change and resource competition.

By increasing agricultural productivity, the project seeks to boost household incomes and reduce tensions over land and natural resources. The initiative aligns with Uganda’s Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan, which recognizes climate-related risks as a threat to regional stability.