Uncertainty among Karamoja farmers as dry spell persists

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | There is increasing uncertainty on food security in Karamoja sub-region as crops are beginning to dry up in the gardens due to the prolonged dry spell that has persisted from May to date. The region normally receives one planting season from April to August each year.

Farmers often utilize the season to produce enough food for the whole year. However, with the dry spell continuing to hit the area since the onset of rains in late April, the dry period has stretched unexpectedly until mid-June creating fears of food insecurity among crop farmers in the region.

The dry spell follows heavy rains that also caused crop failure in mid-May due to very wet conditions and waterlogging. Low-lying areas experienced flash floods that washed away seeds. According to some farmers, most of them are waiting for rainfall to resume after ceasing in mid-May. Farmers are hoping to return to their farms despite having gone halfway into the season.

They are yearning to grow crops like sorghum, maize and beans among others. The prolonged drought that is being experienced in most parts of the country is now causing crops to wither in the gardens due to too much sunshine in Karamoja. Veronica Aleo, a farmer from Napak sub county has expressed fears that the situation threatens to leave the region more food insecure compared to the other seasons.

“The dry spell is so long. The problem is drought. We received rainfall for only one week and we planted. Now there is no rainfall. We leave it to God. I hope it will rain. God will not abandon us,” said Lokol who took our reporter to her sorghum garden.

Paul Munyes, another farmer from Lopei sub county, Napak district says that the weather is more unfriendly this year and they are worried that it may be a year of food insecurity and famine. He says most gardens are now drying up. Even with the too lengthy dry spell, Munyes still hopes that the season will improve anytime this month. He is hoping to grow maize, beans and groundnuts if the rains return.

“You wake up thinking … Is the government going or NGOs going to help people? Seeds cannot germinate now as the soils are very dry (you see.) We planted but there was no germination. The gardens are bear. There is nothing,” says Munyes.

John Bosco Akore, a farmer from Panyangara sub county in Moroto district is also concerned about the state of crops following a dry spell. “Crops are almost drying and many families have not grown as yet. Crops would be flowering by now. We are hoping that rains come back soon so that we cultivate. Those weeding are even risking the growth of crops. It’s just too hot now,” he said on phone.

Robert Lokoru, a farmer in Nadunget sub county in Moroto district summed up this year as a dead year for farmers. “We don’t expect much since there is no sign of rainfall in the nearby future,” he said while showing our reporter his brown garden that has no crops because of the dry spell.

Elders from the region are predicting that there may be a long rainy period this year that could go to September. Mzee William Lodou of Rupa sub county in Moroto district says that from experience, if the rains delay starting, they may go some month late than usual.

“It has not been dry for long like this in recent years, but there is the likelihood the rains may go until September this year. If the rains resume, farmers should plant,” he said. On the other hand, a weather forecast by Uganda National Meteorological Authority-UNMA predicted above-normal rainfall in most regions of the country.

For Karamoja region for example, UNMA said March, April and May would experience above normal rainfall. They had warned local governments to prepare for emergencies including disease outbreaks and damaged infrastructure.

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