Akoboi fish farmers are determined to become resilient to climate change.

Published By MWE |  June 17, 2025

Building the Resilience of Communities may not only require financial resources, but
communities must also possess the fervor to become resilient. Akoboi fish farmers in Akobo
village, Kasebai parish, Butebo Sub-County, Butebo district have demonstrated the
determination to not only build resilience against climate change impacts but to come out of
poverty.
The farmers are part of the several communities that the government, through the Ministry of
Water and Environment, working together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and
Fisheries, Uganda National Meteorological Authority, is supporting to come out of vulnerability
occasioned by climate change.
The communities are supported with funding from the Government of Uganda (GoU), The
Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the United Nations Development Program. The Akoboi
community, initially dependent on wetlands for livelihood, received fish enterprise, as an
alternative livelihood. The group has a high level of cohesion. Women; youth and men, alike,
work for the common goal with great enthusiasm.
“We are 75 members of this group. We have fish ponds. Each pound serves 15 members.
Before receiving the enterprise government trained us on how to manage fish,” Fabiono Odelei

said. Equal participation is a must. Every member has a role to play in managing the fish
ponds. Whilst women clean the ponds, men do the feeding in turns.
“Women can do the feeding, but because we have more responsibilities at home, we decided to
elect men to handle the feeding, while we women clean the ponds. We do this in turns,” Ann
Grace Tukei said during a recent visit.
Besides, feeding the fish, men also provide security in turns. The team believes commitment will
be key to getting out of poverty. They also believe that the enterprise’s success will motivate
other community members still stuck in the wetlands to come out.