Analysis of Information and Communication Technologies in the Management of Climate Change Impacts in Uganda

Abstract

Well-tested and implemented Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can and should be an integral part of climate change impacts management (mitigation, preparedness, response, and rehabilitation). ICTs can play an important role in the collection, retrieval, dissemination, and storage of information, to ensure that it is available to those who need it, at the time and place it is needed. However, access to adequate infrastructure is a prerequisite for the adoption and use of ICTs in risk reduction and disaster response coordination. The implementation of ICTs for climate change impacts management in Uganda is uneven among regions, and the lack of access to modern and up-to-date ICT infrastructure has severely hampered the effectiveness of a disaster management authority to competently respond to identified hazards. This therefore calls for increase in the amount of ICT infrastructure information gathering, hazard and vulnerability assessments, early warning alerting, quick response capability, and the coordination of rehabilitation activities both locally and nationally.