CRiSTAL helps farmers adapt to drought on the slopes of Mount Elgon, Uganda

The document describes how the CRiSTAL framework was used in Sanzara, Kapchorwa District, to analyze the impacts of climate variability on crop production. The process revealed that water stress and environmental degradation were primary challenges, leading the community to propose and implement a water gravity flow scheme from the River Sippi to adapt to prolonged dry spells. The project, supported by the IUCN and district officials, involved an environmental impact assessment and a community action plan, with implementation beginning in April 2012.

• The application of the CRiSTAL framework in Sanzara identified water stress as a primary challenge, noting that the area suffers from long dry spells and high seasonal variability despite the presence of the River Sippi.
• Community consultations revealed significant environmental degradation and a lack of crop resilience, where only cassava survives droughts and only coffee survives floods, though coffee production has declined due to deforestation.
• The CRiSTAL process led to a community-driven solution to implement a water gravity flow scheme for irrigation by tapping water from the River Sippi to mitigate the effects of prolonged dry spells.
• The project implementation involved a collaboration between the three villages, the IUCN, and district officials, starting in April 2012 with the district environment office conducting an environmental impact assessment.

APA

Karami-Dekens, J., & Kutegeka, S. (n.d.). CRiSTAL helps farmers adapt to drought on the slopes of Mount Elgon, Uganda. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/cristal_stories_uganda.pdf

Chicago

Karami-Dekens, Julie, and Sophie Kutegeka. CRiSTAL helps farmers adapt to drought on the slopes of Mount Elgon, Uganda. International Institute for Sustainable Development, n.d. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/cristal_stories_uganda.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Karami-Dekens |first1=Julie |last2=Kutegeka |first2=Sophie |title=CRiSTAL helps farmers adapt to drought on the slopes of Mount Elgon, Uganda |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/cristal_stories_uganda.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{karamidekensndcristal, author = {Karami-Dekens, Julie and Kutegeka, Sophie}, title = {{CRiSTAL helps farmers adapt to drought on the slopes of Mount Elgon, Uganda}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/cristal_stories_uganda.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }