The NbS-4 Climate Project is a three-year EU-funded ERASMUS+ Capacity Building initiative launched in January 2025 to promote nature-based solutions (NbS) as a pathway for climate change adaptation in Uganda and beyond. Coordinated by the Democritus University of Thrace (Greece), the project brings together a strong consortium of European and Ugandan partners: University of Kisubi (UniK), Kyambogo University, GrassRoots Ministry (Uganda), and Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (Spain).
The project seeks to combine indigenous knowledge and modern science to create innovative climate solutions, strengthen academic capacity, and empower communities especially women and youth in rural areas.
Role of the University of Kisubi
The University of Kisubi plays a central role in bridging traditional Ugandan climate practices with academic research and international expertise. Working closely with Kyambogo University, UniK has led groundbreaking field research, including Focus Group Discussions (June 2025) that revealed Uganda’s rich heritage of indigenous NbS such as soil conservation, striga management, and natural crop protection.
UniK’s contributions include:
- Research leadership: Documenting and formalizing traditional climate adaptation practices.
- Capacity building: Supporting the development of six graduate-level courses on NbS, with special emphasis on empowering rural women and youth.
- Community engagement: Strengthening partnerships with local communities to ensure their knowledge and practices inform modern climate strategies.
- Regional leadership: Positioning itself as an East African hub for NbS research, education, and policy influence.
Collective Achievements & Future Plans
Together, the partnership has:
- Successfully launched the project at the Kick-off Meeting in Greece (March 2025).
- Completed foundational research on traditional NbS in Uganda.
- Designed frameworks for graduate curricula and a virtual learning platform.
- Begun building networks connecting universities, businesses, and communities.
Looking ahead, the consortium will:
- Finalize graduate curricula and launch training programs (late 2025).
- Roll out graduate courses and entrepreneurship initiatives in 2026.
- Expand regional networks and produce policy recommendations for climate adaptation.
Impact
- Local: Preserves traditional knowledge, creates new green job opportunities, and enhances technical capacity in climate adaptation.
- Regional: Strengthens East Africa’s role in NbS innovation and policy development.
- Global: Shares best practices and contributes to international climate research networks.
Through this partnership, the University of Kisubi and its collaborators are making significant strides toward building climate resilience, sustainable livelihoods, and knowledge exchange at local, regional, and global levels.