NEWS: Drought bites northern Uganda

Drought bites northern Uganda

from MONITOR ONLINE

GuluFollowing a lull in war in northern Uganda in the last three years, Mr Nicholas Obita returned to his village in Bwobo, Manun Parish, Alero Sub-county in Amuru District. A place he considers a safe haven because of its fertile soils.Like many farmers, Mr Obita embarked on agriculture both for consumption and commercial purposes with hope of getting a good harvest.However, the peaceful sanctuary has turned into the scene of catastrophe as he watches his crops waste away due to drought.“Three months ago, I hired a tractor and opened up over 15 acres for different crops. I planted maize in an eight- acre piece of land and I was expecting to get over 200 bags but the rain has let me down. I am headed for a total loss,” Mr Obita says.He says the wet season that usually lasts between March and June disappeared too soon and the rain was too little to sustain the crops. Mr Obita is one of the farmers in northern Uganda who were determined to forget about squalid living conditions they experienced in camps and concentrate on farming.Their dreams of having a good harvest are fading away as the drought continues to bite hard. Mr Albert Okwera, a lead farmer in Pawel Parish in Gulu District, said the dry spell has destroyed 120 acres of crops. He says last year he earned Shs6 million from the sale of sweet potatoes but that might not be possible this year. “I decided to increase the acres and planted more crops this year. I was hoping to get a good harvest and earn more money. The rice that I planted three months ago has failed to grow,” he explained. Gulu Resident District Commissioner Walter Ochora, who is a commercial farmer in Amuru District, is also feeling the pinch of the dry spell. He says the sun has destroyed his 100 acres of maize crop.Mr Ochora says it is important that farmers resort to planting perennial crops like cow peas, which are drought resistant to minimise vulnerability in case of a crisis like the current one which is causing distress in many parts of the country.Ms Christine Aber, who belongs to a farmers’ group in Kitgum District, says at the beginning of the year the group planted over 10 acres of groundnuts but the crops have succumbed to the scorching sun. “My children are starving, I sell charcoal to buy food, if people don’t buy the charcoal I don’t get money for food,” she says. This nightmare scenario is the reality for farmers of northern Uganda.Climate change is bringing huge challenges. In a bid to address the challenge the Agriculture and Fisheries State Minister, Mr Fred Mukisa, says the government has allocated Shs5 billion for the development of irrigation schemes in selected parts of the country.Mr Mukisa explains that the project, which comes at a time when many parts of the country are experiencing drought because of climatic changes, is expected to benefit farmers in rural areas across the country.