Water and Environment Sector Development Plan 2015/16-2019/20.

This Sector plan, based on objectives and strategic direction of the national Development Plan (NDPII) for water and environmental resources, sets out key sector priorities and interventions for the years 2015-2020. Priorities are increased access to safe water in rural and urban areas and increase in sanitation levels, increase in water available for production, restoration of fragile ecosystems (forests, wetlands), improved environmental monitoring and improvement of resilience to climate change. More specifically the Plan aims, in respect of more general environmental interventions at, among other things, restoration banks of rivers, shores of lakes, bare mountain land and range lands, promotion of environmental charges (PES), increased use of natural resources in a sustainable manner, increased wetland coverage and reduction of wetland degradation, increased functionality of meteorological systems, integration and implementation of climate change policy and improvement of climate change governance, increased afforestation and mitigation of deforestation. Specific attention shall be given to biodiversity. As respect to water resources, the Plan aims at water supply and sanitation infrastructure development, increased access to safe water and increased level of sanitation in rural areas, increased supply of water for production purposes including irrigation (making also use of public-private partnerships and other forms of private involvement), improved water resources governance and monitoring. An Irrigation Policy and an Irrigation Master Plan shall be prepared.
The Plan sets out the legal and planning framework and specifies institutional roles and responsibilities and guiding principles for sector plan implementation. It also outlines international commitments of Uganda as regards sustainable development and environmental protection. An analysis is made of the current state of the water sector and water resources including transboundary waters. Challenges in water management are outlined. They include, among other things, water pollution, low compliance with law and standards, low prioritization as regards use of water resources and transboundary water issues.
National strategic direction as expressed in the NDP seeks to contribute in a significant manner to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda. Targets to achieve goals 6, 13 and 5 are specified. Objectives, strategies and priority interventions are set out for all the proposed strategic priorities. As for climate change, various inventory and monitoring systems shall be set up. Wetland resources management shall be carried out partially by developing district wetland action plans. Forest management, among other things, requires plantation and restoration of natural forests. Mechanism shall be developed for the implementation of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan.
The Plan includes a chapter on institutional development (also at a local level) and, in the Annexes, a cost implementation matrix, investment requirements and output and outcome indicators.