How a Climate-Smart Exhibition Gave Rhino Camp Refugees New Harvests and Income

Under the relentless sun that pushes daytime temperatures past 40°C, the land in Rhino Camp settlement in Northern Uganda is cracked and parched. For the tens of thousands of refugees who fled conflict in South Sudan, DR Congo, and beyond, this harsh reality of climate breakdown presents a different kind of fight: the battle for survival against hunger and poverty amidst reduced food rations.

Erratic rainfall has rendered traditional farming knowledge obsolete, leaving single mothers and families particularly vulnerable. The areas which used to boast of two planting seasons every year; march -April and July-August currently experience a single season. Many households feel trapped, “lost in wonder about what else to do.” But early 2025 an innovative intervention; a Climate Smart Agriculture exhibition organized by Infonile with support from Palladium at Ocea Zone in Rhino camp refugee settlement sowed seeds of hope that are now yielding a transformative harvest.

The exhibition, rather than being a top-down lecture, served as a vibrant marketplace of ideas. It connected struggling farmers with success stories and, crucially, with the private sector. Companies like Omia Agribusiness and Caritas Uganda provided tangible answers to farmers’ most pressing questions during lively Q&A sessions.

The proof of its impact is not in pamphlets, but in the flourishing fields of farmers like Lina Oguzu, 69. Standing proudly in her quarter-acre plot in Ocea village, she embodies the transformation.

“I call myself lucky,” she says, a smile breaking across her face. Her luck, however, is forged by new knowledge. After the exhibition, she planted tomatoes twice, saw her income increase from 500,000 ( 150 USD) to 650,000 Ugandan shillings (180 USD). She has diversified into other crops, and her homestead now buzzes with life eight goats, two cattle, and eighteen chickens.

“Besides the challenges of scarcity of water… I will still carry on with climate smart agriculture,” she states with resolve. For Lina, the exhibition was a turning point from uncertainty to agency.

The exhibition’s impact is also felt at the farmers group level, For the members of Creative and Innovative Farmers Group in Ongurua village, Siripi zone in Rhino camp refugee settlement, the journey was one of trial, error, and renewal. The group, specializing in vegetables, saw their second tomato harvest income drop from 8 million to 5 million shillings before the exhibition, something which greatly affected the morale of the group members.

“The exhibitions answered very many of our questions and exposed us to a variety of crops and beyond,” says Samuel Dramani, the group’s leader. That exposure was catalytic. Their very next harvest skyrocketed to 22 million shillings, followed by another strong yield of 17 million. The group is now planning to scale up, explore agroforestry, and improve water management.

“The group is looking forward to embracing climate smart agriculture,” Dramani says, a testament to restored faith.

The exhibitions highlighted a critical link: the role of agile private sector actors in making climate-smart solutions accessible. Iganachi Razaki Omia, CEO of OMIA Agribusiness, outlines the challenges such as lack of awareness, unaffordable solutions, and distant markets.

“The information many farmers are not aware of are the climate smart solutions, cost of solutions. Farmers struggle to find affordable solutions and markets”, he said

However, his company is tackling these through the establishment of a network of 190 local community agents that brings supplies closer to farmers; Low-Tech Orders; where Farmers can order inputs using a simple button phone by dialing *284*173#, eliminating the need for internet among other interventions.

“The results are measurable. An impact assessment showed 92% of their farmers recorded increased production, and 89% improved their earnings. “Farmers’ success is our success,” Omia says.

The ripple effects of the exhibition are visible across the community. Emmanuel Adriko, the local council official for Ocea Village, confirms the change. “This has increased production of food and economic empowerment in my village community, both host and refugee.”

His appeal is for sustained support: “Seeds should be given to farmers in the right seasons… they should be trained on how to maintain them.”

Onzima William, the Madi Okollo District Natural Resource Officer, sees the exhibition as a catalyst achieving his department’s goals. “This has brought a lot of success to my department’s table,” he notes, explaining that it has attracted NGOs and international organizations to promote climate resilience.

He points to increased tree planting and growing engagement with sustainable practices. His requests mirror the remaining hurdles: making solutions affordable, improving land tenure systems, and continuous training.

“Farmers should… always monitor weather patterns and follow the adversary set by meteorological department to adopt farming practices accordingly by the time rain stops the crops would have grown or been harvested , maintain soil health through implementation  of sustainable soil management practices like crop rotation, mulching etc. , water conservation through use of efficient irrigation system like drip (make hole on top of bottle tie it with water in field of crops) This climate smart agriculture will get boosted.” Onzima noted. The story of Rhino Camp climate smart agriculture exhibition is more than one of survival; it’s a blueprint for adaptation. It demonstrates that in the face of dual crises; displacement and climate change, the most powerful tools are not just seeds and tools, but information, connection, and storytelling. By showcasing real success and bridging the gap between farmers and innovation, a simple exhibition has helped a vulnerable community begin to write a new, more resilient story for itself.