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CULTIVATING HOPE: SOLAR IRRIGATION POWERS FOOD SECURITY FOR REFUGEES IN WEST NILE.

By Bazio Doreen.At least 4 out of 10 households in Uganda are moderate or severely food insecure, according to Uganda’s 2024 National Population and Housing Census (NHPC) report. Uganda also currently sits at 95th position out of 125 countries according to the 2023 Global Hunger Index. In West Nile, 48% of households are severely food insecure according to the NHPC report. In a region that is already prone to drought, the situation is further worsened by the hospitality of hosting the largest number of refugees in the country. With many households now receiving only 30% of food rations mainly cooking oil and grain; refugees in West Nile are now embracing agriculture as a resilience and coping mechanism – with solar irrigation offering a much-needed helping hand.Testimonies.In Terego District, Joseph Nakuni, 38, farmer and a resident of Alivu Village, Ndapi Parish, Omugo Sub County - an extension of Rhino Refugee Camp, says with a co-funding of shs 580,000/= for irrigation kits that cost shs 2.8 million in total, their Group started growing bio fresh potatoes after intervention from Danish Church Aid (DCA), an NGO. Building on the inspiration of the group earning shs 18 million in the first year of harvest, Nakuni also started his own 1.5 acre garden from which earns at least shs 3 million every season with the help of solar irrigation equipment which he got under UGiFT after paying shs 2 million as part of a co-fund.“DCA was initially looking for farmer groups to grow bio-fresh potato which is nutritious for malnourished people and can be used to make potato flour for making porridge, chapati, and cakes. Seeing the opportunity in solar irrigation, I also started my farm. Last season, I got shs. 1 million from selling tomatoes, shs. 700,000 from selling cabbages, shs. 500,000 from selling watermelons and shs. 800,000 from sweet potatoes,” Nakuni explains.Another farmer and refugee in Morobi Refugee Camp, Obongi District, Edward Lubang, 52, says embracing solar irrigation and establishing his garden, has enabled him to not only effortlessly fulfill his family’s basic needs but they are now healthier. Unlike 3 years ago, Lubang invested a capital of shs 300,000/= but now earns at least shs 15 million from growing vegetables which by affordability have a ready market thanks to a solar water pump received under the government’s Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers Program (UGiFT) which has a 25% co-funding requirement depending on the nature of farm and equipment required.“I started when the plot of land I had was less than a quarter acre but right now I can hire more than two acres to grow vegetables. Feeding at home is no longer a problem, my children eat better, and I bought a tricycle and cattle. My target now is to raise shs 20 million in the next dry season,” Lubang says.Similarly, in the nearby Maaji 1 Refugee Settlement in Adjumani District, Alumai Michael, 38, a refugee, and beneficiary of Ayuda En Accion says with improved access to water, they have been able to prioritize growing tomatoes and cabbages which earns them between shs 3 and 4 million each season. According to Alumai, who is the Chairperson of Atetapkwe Itego Youth Group which started in 2021, the group currently has 10 members, with 4 of them refugees. They got a solar water pump of shs 4,140,000/= from Sun Culture at a cost of shs 1,656,000/= as part of a co-fund with Ayuda en Accion.“Initially, the women in the group used to fetch water from the nearby stream for us to water which made us get losses in cassava growing because it wasn’t sustainable. With the solar pump now available, we have since transitioned to vegetable growing which is more profitable and promising,” Alumai revealed.When Palm Corps intervened in Madi Okollo district to uplift the lives of refugees through smart agriculture, by giving out solar water pumps to refugees in the camp, YK Duku, a resident of Odubu Zone, Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement, took advantage of this donation and ventured into vegetable farming and was fortunate enough to supply tomatoes to Arua Main Market. He says he used the proceeds from the sale to acquire a motorcycle which has not only solved the challenge of transporting his produce but is a source of additional income. “When Palm Corps intervened, we were 50 who showed interest but later, others lost it. However, a few of us continued to get knowledge which has transformed our lives now. World Food Program only provides us with Posho, beans, and cooking oil which is insufficient amidst other basic needs,” Duku observed.Women are also starting to appreciate the benefits of solar irrigation. For Zumura Viko, a resident of Rakatura Village, Kululu Sub County, Yumbe District; her fortune was struck by luck.  Being among the Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA)’s 30 members, she benefitted from a motorized borehole established for Umaruku Farmer Field School by Welthugerhilfe, an organization working in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement. While they started farming in 2021, their efforts were being frustrated by a lack of ready access to water due to the unreliable rainfall patterns. The group now earns at least shs 6.5 million from vegetable sales each season."To get clean water, you would have to walk about 10km away from the village so we looked at watering crops as a waste of water. Apart from growing cassava and simsim as a group, I tried to plant some tomatoes and onions around my home twice but because of the unreliable rainfall patterns, they all dried up and I got nothing because I couldn't water them due to the challenges of getting water," Zumura revealed.Background of interventions.In 2022, Uganda launched the Sustainable Energy Response Plan for Refugees and Host Communities 2022-2025 (SERP) in a bid to enable all host and refugee communities to attain universal access to affordable, reliable, and clean energy for socio-economic transformation in an environmentally sustainable manner.In efforts to implement the SERP, several NGOs have embraced Solar Irrigation Interventions since 2022 to create for the refugees hope away from home. The different partners implementing Productive Use of Sustainable Energy/Productive Use of Energy projects in West Nile include Mercy Corps, JICA, Welthugerhilfe, Palm Corps, Fermi Nature, Food and Agricultural Organization, Lutheran World Federation, GIZ, Self Help Africa, Action Against Hunger, and Food for the Hungry.Besides the SERP, the government has drafted and developed the Uganda Solar Water Pumping Report (July 2019); National Irrigation Policy (November 2017); District Development Plans;  and National Road Map on Scaling Up Productive Use of Solar Energy and Revised Energy Policy for Uganda (2023). The government has also further implemented programs like the Development Response to Displacement Impact Project (DRDIP), Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), Irrigation Development and Climate Resilience Project (IDCRP), and the Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers Program Project for Uganda (UGiFT). Though with unique challenges on either side, the government and NGOs haven’t been able to achieve the anticipated level of uptake. Challenges.The journey hasn’t been rosy. According to Andama Alexander, Project Manager, Palm Corps – Adjumani District, during the time they made interventions, they realized that many refugees prefer fully funded solar water pumping kits. Many refugee households also have low, irregular, or seasonal incomes, which affects their ability to pay for off-grid solutions. On average, 60% of their monthly income is spent on food expenditures, followed by other necessities. This makes most refugee households unable or unwilling to pay for energy products in one lump sum with service providers wary of extending credit due to the risk of consumer default. This is not unique to them alone.Laze Dennis, Sales Manager - Sun Culture, Adjumani, testifies that out of the 28 solar water pumps so far given out since July 2024, 21 were taken on credit adding that refugees only picked interest because of the subsidization based on their previous 2 years’ experience in Uganda. Previously, between January and June 2024, there were no refugees interested until NGOs came in with a subsidy.Government programs aren’t spared either. According to Francis Abiriga, the Madi Okollo District Agricultural Officer, and also the Focal Person for the UGiFT Micro Scale Irrigation project, says that the usage of solar irrigation by small-scale farmers still stands at 1% due to the high cost of co-funding under interventions for both NGOs and government.   Under UGiFT for example, the program is conditioned by a 25% high co-funding rate which some farmers cannot afford. The government pays between 25% - 75% of the total cost of the equipment depending on the acreage and nature of the farm with a maximum cost of shs 7.2 million. This means that a farmer may pay between shs 2 million and shs 8 million. Abiriga also believes that the provision of tractors and subsidies to the community would increase production and peaceful co-existence between the refugees and the host community.However, even with the subsidies in place, some projects were futile. Annet Lekuru, the Executive Director - of Fermi Nature Uganda, Ma’di Okollo District, says some projects haven’t been sustained due to:  vandalism, poor attitude of refugees towards farming, the conflict between the landlords and refugees, and lack of skills among the farmers to operate the solar pumps. Scalability has also been a challenge as some service providers and NGOs lack the capital to expand to other refugee settlements, which requires policymakers to intervene.Enhancing uptake.According to Paddy Bakengana, the Program Manager – Uganda Solar Energy Association (USEA), the institution intends to run a solar energy uptake campaign in all refugee settlements starting in November 2024. With support from GIZ, which will be paying up to 60% of the cost of technologies for beneficiaries, the institution intends to demonstrate the way how solar technologies work to improve uptake. This is key for sectors like Agriculture where Paddy estimates that only 5% of small-scale farmers have access to solar technologies/equipment.  Currently, the USEA is also advocating for the introduction of incentives to solar energy beneficiaries by January 2025 – something similar to carbon credits. This move, Paddy believes will not only increase uptake but counteract myths that solar technologies are facilitating climate change by polluting the environment. But this is not enough, there is a need for innovation and creativity to scale up awareness and build credibility in the sector.In agreement, Erasto Kivumbi Muwanga, Livelihood Officer, UNHCR Sub Office, Pakele–Adjumani, observes that refugees are used to handouts from UNHCR, OPM, and other partners and thus dialogue is needed for mindset change. Sensitization on the available projects should be taken to settlements instead of relying on radio talk shows alone.About SERP.The SERP has pillars of Standalone solar-powered off-grid solutions; Energy-efficient appliances for the grid and off-grid use; Smart financing, subsidies, and supplier incentives; Solar kiosks and solar power hubs/centers; and Solar thermal systems (e.g. for cooling or drying fruits, vegetables, and herbs).The SERP is linked to the Final Water and Environment Sector Refugee Response Plan by contributing to the achievement of this plan’s objectives to reduce the overexploitation of resources, improve access to sustainable energy, and improve the sustainable management of water supply in refugee settlements. The SERP also overlaps with the Jobs and Livelihoods Integrated Response Plan for Refugees and Host Communities by supporting an increase in affordable on-grid and off-grid energy solutions to increase business competitiveness in refugee settlements and host communities.West Nile has 314,624 refugees according to the 2024 Uganda National Population and Housing Census report. 79.1% of households are involved in agriculture. 3.5% of households practice irrigation. About 40% of the world's food production is currently facilitated by irrigation. In a world that is warming up quickly, irrigated agriculture is becoming more and more crucial for both food security and climate resilience.In Uganda, 33% of the population is unable to meet their basic needs due to the absence of sufficient access to energy. Until recently, access to energy was not prioritized in interventions with displaced populations, as securing food and shelter was a more pressing need. However, increasing access to energy for productive use is now considered a key part of achieving long-term resilience and self-reliance within the refugee and host populations, which is one of the main pillars of Uganda’s Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF).END.  

UNTAPPED POTENTIAL OF SOLAR POWERED AQUACULTURE VALUE CHAIN IN ADJUMANI.

By Bazio Doreen. As Uganda explores avenues for economic growth and diversification, fish farming, or aquaculture, continues to emerge as a highly promising sector. With the country’s vast water resources covering 18% of the surface area, favorable climate, and increasing domestic and international demand for fish, Uganda offers a compelling investment opportunity in fish farming. Over the past decade, fish farming in Uganda has seen substantial growth.With arguably one of the largest markets in Northern Uganda, the estimated 340 fresh fish traders in Adjumani District on average sell 1,354 tonnes of fish each year, 113 tonnes per month, and 28 tonnes per week. Fresh fish farmers in Adjumani source their fish mainly from the lake and river (Albert Nile) and middlemen. In the nearby Moyo and Obongi districts which are separated from Adjumani by River Nile at Laropi and Palorinya landing sites respectively, the two major markets for fish in the Ma'di Sub Region, there is an extremely lively trade in both fresh and processed catches from the river. Consignments are delivered every day to these markets from the landings of Laropi, Palorinya, Obongi, Liri, Ara, Pamujua, Magburu, and other more minor sites by scores of petty traders who carry their loads by foot or on bicycles. The value of the fresh fish market in Adjumani is estimated at shs 7.1 billion ($1,936,789) with an average price per kg at shs 5,241/= ($1.43), revenue per week at shs 147,877,950/= ($40,350), and revenue per month at shs 591,580,230/= ($161,399). Unfortunately, even with this seemingly vibrant business, 59% of the fresh fish produced is not exported. Traders mainly sell to the domestic market where households are the main customers. Only 41% is exported to DRC and South Sudan.A 2023 study conducted by Ayuda en Accion, an NGO, reveals that only a third of fish traders in Adjumani use a fridge/freezer (powered by electricity) for storage and preservation; a move that is further frustrated by unstable power supply until recently when West Nile was connected to the national grid.Solar energy thus provides an alternative. If the traders are to opt for solar-powered fridges, they would have to part with a weekly installment payment of shs 29,320/= ($8) on a pay-as-you-go down payment of shs 348,152/= ($95) against an average weekly income of shs 542,366/= ($148). Fish farmers can afford solar fridges on a pay-go model as the weekly loan service fee of shs 29,320/= ($8) is just 5.5% of their weekly revenues. But solar-powered technologies could even offer more opportunities to increase income by reducing post-harvest losses that are estimated to be between 5% - 10%.Solar-powered technologies would favor both storage of fresh fish, and drying of fish for exportation. Only 30% of traders use the fridge for storage as most traders prefer other storage methods like drying (3%), cover with polythene (6%), open-air (9%), ice (12%), smoke (21%), and freshwater (18%). Due to the usage of traditional methods, the Adjumani market can’t satisfy the high export demand for smoked fish, especially catfish to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. Upto, 98% of dried fish is sold locally. To exploit this big export opportunity, there is thus a need for innovative renewable energy solutions like solar dryers.With the sale of 41 tonnes per week, 166 per month, and 1987 tonnes annually, there is a high market size and value for dried fish. The current modes of drying like smoking by charcoal (37%), salted sun drying (42%) and smoking by firewood (21%) used by traders can’t sustain the big export market. With solar dryers, it would take less than roughly 24 hours to smoke fish and even reduce further the costs of between shs 5,000/= to shs 10,000/= of the finished product.However, beyond the East African borders, the aquaculture sector can even be more ambitious. With the right infrastructure and quality standards, Ugandan fish can access lucrative international markets with the European Union, United States, and regional markets presenting export opportunities, and thus contributing to foreign exchange earnings.But a quality finished product that can compete on an international market starts with caution and creativity right from the point of production. As fish farmers set out to cast their nets far and wide, they need to start embracing solar lanterns could help avert challenges posed by kerosene lanterns which can be both expensive and dangerous thus increasing incomes by saving fuel expenses.These enterprises represent a clear opportunity for the deployment of either community mini-grids or standalone solar systems. However, access to energy in general let alone renewable energy in Uganda is still low. Only 38% of Ugandans have access to some form of electricity. Although solar energy has picked up lately, it stands at a mere 8%.Despite this, it is promising that of the 400 off-grid solar companies in Uganda, 55% serve the aquaculture sector through technologies for lighting, refrigerators, and solar water pumps. Until Uganda’s agriculture and aquaculture sectors are modernized with sustainably powered technologies, the country risks missing its development targets of reducing poverty, boosting prosperity, and creating jobs, especially for women and youth.Apart from being the 7th highest inland fishery production in the world: the aquaculture sector in Uganda supports the livelihoods of over 5.3 million people and directly employs over 1.2 million people. Most importantly for Adjumani which hosts about 244,374 South Sudanese refugees, fish from the river is the only regularly available source of animal protein for the displaced, who otherwise depend heavily on the assistance of relief agencies for the provision of basic needs.END.

SOLAR IRRIGATION TRANSFORMS REFUGEES’ FARMING FORTUNES IN UGANDA’S WEST NILE.

By Bazio Doreen.According to estimates by USAID's Uganda Off-Grid Energy Market Accelerator Report, farmers could increase their income by 30% through value addition and efficiency if they employed the productive use of energy (PUE). However, the adoption of PUE technologies by the agriculture sector has so far been limited, with even less uptake among refugee households. Beyond mere sustenance of livelihoods, agriculture offers refugees additional opportunities to cultivate hope and generate extra income thus contributing to the economic development of their host communities.In 2022, Uganda launched the Sustainable Energy Response Plan for Refugees and Host Communities 2022-2025 (SERP) to enable all host and refugee communities to attain universal access to affordable, reliable, and clean energy for socio-economic transformation in an environmentally sustainable manner. Indeed, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), and various development and implementing partners have been able to create hope away from home for the refugees in fulfillment of the SERP.Beneficiaries’ testimonies.Since 2023, Ayuda en Accion (AeA), has been able to give out 163 solar water pumps through its partners, Tulima Solar and Sun Culture in Adjumani, Obongi, and Lamwo districts. Under Tulima Solar, the solar pumps are given out at shs 900,000/= for host communities and shs 720,000/= for refugees but with shs 70,000/= if paid in installments while Sun Culture gives them out at shs 2 million for host communities (AeA pays 50% for the farmer) and shs 1.6 million for refugees (AeA pays 60% for the farmer). The Pilot of the project was done in 2023 and now phase II which started in July 2024 is expected to end in December 2025.According to Mr. Alumai Michael, 38, a beneficiary under Sun Culture and Chairperson of Atetapkwe Itego Youth Group in Maaji I Refugee Settlement, Ukusijioni Sub County - Adjumani District, with improved access to water, they have been able to prioritize growing tomatoes and cabbages which earns them between shs 3 and 4 million each season. The group started in 2021, and currently has 10 members, with 4 of them refugees.“Initially, the women in the group used to fetch water from the nearby stream for us to water which made us get losses in cassava growing because it wasn’t sustainable. With the solar pump now available, we have since transitioned to vegetable growing which is more profitable and promising,” Alumai revealed.Similarly, in Yumbe District, with support from Welthugerhilfe, an organization working in the Bidibidi Refugee settlement; Umaruku Farmer Field School has seen their fortune change. Started in 2021, the group consists of 30 members and besides farming, the group members also participate in the Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA).Mr. Yassin Ayimani, 43, the Chairperson of the group and a resident of Rakatura Village in Kululu Sub County, in Yumbe district, says, they first selected cassava production as their main enterprise but they always got losses because they mainly depended on rainwater. The choice of cassava was because it can survive in the hot sun as long as it sprouts. They have since transitioned to tomatoes and cabbages and haven’t looked back.  "When Welthugerhilfe brought the idea of motorizing our borehole, we were very excited because they also shared the plan of supporting us with irrigation equipment if we secured an acre piece of land near the water point. The irrigation system is helping us to benefit a lot because the vegetables can be planted at any time and there is a ready market for them, unlike cassava. In the first harvest, we realized Shs 6.5 million from the sales of tomatoes and cabbages and the money has been put in our VSLA so, we have about Shs 14 million including our money for the savings,” Ayimani excitedly narrated.  In Ma’di Okollo and Adjumani, Palm Corps, between 2019 and 2022, gave out solar pumps to 25 groups (15 – 21 members) in each district. In Ma’di Okollo, it was implemented in Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement while in Adjumani it was done in Maaji and Pagirinya Refugee Settlements.   YK Duku, a South Sudanese Refugee at Odubu Zone, Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement, narrates that, in 2023, he supplied tomatoes to Arua Main Market. He says he used the proceeds from the sale to acquire a motorcycle.  “When Palm Corps intervened, we were 50 who showed interest but later, others lost it. However, a few of us continued to get knowledge which has transformed our lives now. World Food Program only provides us with Posho, beans, and cooking oil which is insufficient amidst other basic needs,” Duku observed. Challenges.Refugee households lack available land for farming amidst the ever dwindling food rations and support from World Food Program and other partners respectively. Moreover, Northern Uganda and West Nile are prone to drought. Many refugee households also have low, irregular, or seasonal incomes, which affects their ability to pay for off-grid solutions. On average, 60% of their monthly income is spent on food expenditures, followed by other necessities. This makes most of refugee households unable or unwilling to pay for energy products in one lump sum with service providers wary of extending credit due to the risk of consumer default.Andama Alexander, Project Manager, Palm Corps – Adjumani District, reveals that during the time they made interventions, they realized that many refugees prefer fully funded solar water pumping kits.  At the end of the 4 year project, only 21 refugees benefitted out of 375 beneficiaries. This is not unique to them alone.According to Laze Dennis, Sales Manager - Sun Culture, Adjumani, out of the 28 solar water pumps so far given out since July 2024, 21 were taken on credit adding that refugees only picked interest because of the subsidization based on their previous 2 years’ experience in Uganda. Previously, between January and June 2024, there were no refugees interested until AeA came in with a subsidy. However, there is still also evident competition from fuel pumps.Similarly, according to Rodrick Okello, Sales Manager - Tulima Solar, which serves Lamwo, Obongi and Adjumani districts, only 2 refugees in Adjumani (out of 7) have taken the solar pumps since May 2024.  However, 18 have been sold in Lamwo district and 110 in Obongi District. He observes that the low uptake among refugees is because they think it should be free of charge. However, some of the projects were futile as they have since collapsed. Annet Lekuru, the Executive Director - Fermi Nature Uganda, Ma’di Okollo District, says some projects haven’t been sustained due to:  vandalism, poor attitude of refugees towards farming, conflict between the land lords and refugees, and lack of skills among the farmers to operate the solar pumps. Scalability has also been a challenge as some service providers and NGOs lack capital to expand to other refugee settlements, which require policy makers to intervene.Government Effort.Besides the SERP, government has drafted and developed the Uganda Solar Water Pumping Report (July 2019); National Irrigation Policy (November 2017); District Development Plan IIIs;  and National Road Map on Scaling Up Productive use of Solar Energy and Revised Energy Policy for Uganda (2023). Government has also further implemented programs like Development Response to Displacement Impact Project (DRDIP), Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), Irrigation Development and Climate Resilience Project (IDCRP).and The Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers Program Project for Uganda (UGiFT). These however, also have their own challenges as they aren’t any different from those of NGOs. Francis Abiriga, the Madi Okollo District Agricultural Officer, and also the Focal Person for the Micro Scale Irrigation project, says the program is aimed at increasing solar irrigation accessibility to the citizens but this has been conditioned by high co-funding rate which some farmers cannot afford. Abiriga says the 25% rate is too high which the government should review in order to have solar irrigation promoted among the communities. Currently, Abiriga says the usage of solar irrigation at community level stands at 1%, which is against the efforts put to conserve environment. Since government programs entirely target the citizens, Abiriga also believes that provision of tractors and subsidies to the community would increase production and peaceful co-existence between the refugees and the host community.Enhance uptake.To provide some sort of explanation on the low uptake from refugees, Erasto Kivumbi Muwanga, Livelihood Officer, UNHCR Sub Office, Pakele – Adjumani, observes that refugees are used to handouts from UNHCR, OPM and other partners and thus dialogue is needed for mindset change.In agreement, David Okello, Project Manager, Ayuda En Accion, also says sensitization on the available projects should be taken to settlements instead of relying on radio talk shows alone. This he says is key because the refugees are vulnerable, and can’t afford the pumps. However, access to subsidies or co funding would be help increase uptake.Rodrick also says subsidies will enable to increase the number of sector players/service providers from the current 5 – 6 to the ideal 25. He also says, there is a need to map out areas with high vegetable production potential. This is very important for sustainability of the projects when the partners/NGOs/government phases out.In efforts to implement the SERP, a number of NGOs have since embraced Solar Irrigation Interventions since 2022. The different partners implementing PUSE/PUE projects in West Nile include: Mercy Corps, JICA, Welthugerhilfe, Palm Corps, Fermi Nature, Food and Agricultural Organization, Lutheran World Federation, GIZ, Self Help Africa, Action against Hunger, and Food for the Hungry.The SERP has pillars of: Standalone solar-powered off-grid solutions; Energy-efficient appliances for grid and off-grid use; Smart financing, subsidies, and supplier incentives; Solar kiosks and solar power hubs/centres; and Solar thermal systems (e.g. for cooling or drying fruits, vegetables, and herbs).The SERP is linked to the Final Water and Environment Sector Refugee Response Plan by contributing to the achievement of this plan’s objectives to reduce the overexploitation of resources, improve access to sustainable energy, and improve the sustainable management of water supply in refugee settlements. The SERP also overlaps with the Jobs and Livelihoods Integrated Response Plan for Refugees and Host Communities by supporting an increase in affordable on-grid and off-grid energy solutions to increase business competitiveness in refugee settlements and host communities.In Uganda, 33% of the population is unable to meet their basic needs due to the absence of sufficient access to energy. Until recently, access to energy was not prioritized in interventions with displaced populations, as securing food and shelter was a more pressing need. However, increasing access to energy for productive use is now considered a key part of achieving long-term resilience and self-reliance within the refugee and host populations, which is one of the main pillars of Uganda’s Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF).This story was developed and published through a story grant funding from Northern Uganda Media Club (NUMEC).END.