UK - UGANDA Green Growth

1. Clean Energy

The future is green. Innovation is key to developing the green technologies needed to tackle the climate change challenge the world currently faces. Through the development of clean energy comes the innovation of smart green businesses and smart green living. The UK aims to accelerate the commercialization of innovative clean energy technologies and ease adoption in business communities and day-to-day people activities.

2. Climate Finance

Climate change is one of humanity's most urgent and complex challenges. It affects every aspect of life on Earth, from ecosystems and biodiversity to health and livelihoods. To address this global crisis, we need innovative solutions that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance resilience, and promote sustainable development. This is where climate financing plays a crucial role. It can help create bankable and sustainable projects that can deliver positive environmental and social impacts while generating economic returns. One example of such a project is the Energy Catalyst program by Innovate UK.

3. Urban planning

Urban planning is a significant aspect of Uganda's green growth development strategy (UGGDS) launched in 2017, as it involves designing and managing cities that are resilient, inclusive, and low carbon. Urban planning can help Uganda address some of its challenges such as rapid urbanization, environmental degradation, poverty, and inequality. Some of the opportunities for urban planning in Uganda include developing green public transport systems, promoting mixed-use development and compact urban form, enhancing waste management and recycling systems, improving access to basic services and amenities, and protecting natural ecosystems and biodiversity.

The UK government has committed to invest up to £39 million (Shs185 billion) over four years in climate-smart jobs in Uganda, which will support climate-smart land management and services around agribusinesses.

Featured - Zembo, UBL Diaego, Winch Energy

4. Climate Smart Agriculture & Market Development

One of the key themes of the UK-UGANDA green growth partnership is Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA), which aims to increase the incomes and resilience of smallholder farmers by adopting practices and technologies that enhance productivity, reduce emissions, and adapt to climate change.

Climate change adaptation and mitigation is a salient component of green growth and Uganda has demonstrated a remarkable commitment to its national climate change response. As the Uganda Vision 2040 stipulates, the climate change strategy is to prioritize national resilience through adaptation and mitigation. - Uganda Green Growth Development Strategy -

Throughout the lifeline of documenting these projects, we recorded over 10 hours of footage, and 30 hours of travel and produced over 12 videos. Check out the complete YouTube playlist here. 

Nyamugasani Hydropower projects

The Nyamagasani hydropower plants utilize the hydropower potential of the river Nyamagasani as it drops 330m in a series of rapids, near the village of Kyarumba in the foothills of the Rwenzori mountains in Western Uganda. The project is connected to the Ugandan national grid with a contribution of about 21 megawatts.

Energy Catalyst

Energy Catalyst is an Innovate UK program that accelerates the innovation needed to end energy poverty in Africa and Asia through financial and advisory support, building strategic partnerships, and uncovering new insights. Energy Catalyst supports the development of technologies and business models that can improve lives.

Energy Catalyst is an example of how climate financing can play a crucial role in addressing the global challenge of climate change by creating bankable and sustainable projects that can benefit both people and the planet.

Featured - Smart Villages Research Group, Ecolife Foods, Aptech Africa.

Zembo Motorcycles

A Kampala, Uganda-based company that provides affordable electric two-wheelers to low-income motorcycle-taxi drivers facing vulnerability to fuel price fluctuation. Boda-bodas provide transportation for 60% of the population and this means heavy carbon emissions. Zembo tackles this problem and aims to transform the boda-boda sector by helping the sector reduce its environmental impact with electric motorcycles.

Featured - Zembo

Kalangala Infrastructure Services

One of the success stories of Uganda's green growth development strategy (UGGDS) launched in 2017 is the transformation of Bugala Island, which was once one of the poorest districts in the country. Through a public-private partnership with InfraCo Africa, an infrastructure company called Kalangala Infrastructure Services (KIS) was established to provide safe access to the mainland, reliable electricity, and clean water to the island's residents. Today, Bugala Island is thriving thanks to KIS's interventions.

Featured - Kalangala Infrastructure Services, InfraCo

NU-TEC MD

To facilitate CSA, the UK government has funded a program called Northern Uganda - Transforming the Economy through Climate Smart Agriculture Market Development which works with private sector partners to identify and facilitate innovative business models and markets that benefit poor men and women as producers, consumers, suppliers, or employees while increasing their resilience to climate change.

The project focuses on selected agricultural markets and provides technical assistance and brokering services to increase the flow of bankable proposals and investments in climate-smart agriculture. By stimulating sustainable and inclusive growth in northern Uganda's agricultural sector, NU-TEC MD contributes to the UK-Uganda green growth agenda.