RIWAH Project – Right to Water Access

The RIWAH Project (Right to Water Access – Affordable Water Harvesting for Smallholder Farmer Families in Uganda and Tanzania) runs from 2024 to 2027. It complements the ESFROMA program and targets the same beneficiaries in Uganda and Tanzania with a specific focus on addressing the critical challenge of water access for farming in the context of climate change. Funded by CISU through Organic Denmark, RIWAH is implemented by ESFROMA consortium partners, including TOAM and UWAMWIMA in Tanzania, and Caritas Kampala, URDT, GLOFA, and KOFLEC in Uganda. The overall objective is to increase food security, income, and climate resilience while strengthening civil society for around 10,000 individuals (approx. 2,000 smallholder farmer families). This is achieved by promoting affordable, locally relevant water harvesting technologies (WHTs) and integrating them into district-level adaptation plans.

Areas of Focus / Outcomes:

Outcome 1: Empowering Farmer Families through Innovation

2,000 smallholder farmer families, organized into 100 Farmer Families Learning Groups (FFLGs), identify, innovate, and adopt low-cost water harvesting technologies that fit their local contexts. This participatory, farmer-led approach enables knowledge co-creation, adaptation, and scaling of practical solutions to overcome water access barriers.

Outcome 2: Integrating WHTs into Local Adaptation Plans

Water harvesting technologies are integrated into local adaptation plans in five districts through collaborative advocacy and dialogue involving FFLGs, project partners, and district authorities. This fosters institutional commitment and ensures long-term support for climate-resilient water solutions. In conclusion, RIWAH enhances the climate resilience of smallholder farmers by tackling water scarcity through sustainable, low-cost technologies. Building on the ESFROMA program’s successes, it strengthens communities’ capacity to co-create resilient solutions, improves food security, and advocates for inclusive climate adaptation planning. Together, RIWAH and ESFROMA support community-driven development and reinforce the role of organic agriculture in addressing climate and livelihood challenges across East Africa.