Hot and dry weather continues to transpire across most parts of Uganda, not excluding Kisoro district where Irish potato farmers are pondering what to do next after planting seed, in expectation of rainfall and yet none falls.
A section of farmers are predicting that hunger and famine could be experienced sooner than anticipated because the planting season has unexpectedly shifted, with the dry season, well into the fourth month.
On the 15th August, Local residents and farmers alike, looked to the sky with eager expectation of rain as it has always been on the day of Assumption of Mary, locally known as ‘Umunsi Mukuru Wa Bikira Mariya‘ but none came.
Reports of devastating rains in Mupaka Town Council caused agricultural loss.
A report of the damage has been compiled and is being scrutinized by the Kisoro Resident District Commissioner, Hajji Shafiq Sekandi.
Sanyu Regina, a farmer from Nyarubuye Sub County is one of the many farmers in the district who hurried to plant Irish potatoes in her garden, knowing that rains would fall, as they have always done.
She now admits her disappointment and concern about the money spent preparing the land as well as purchasing the Irish Potato seed that cost her between 300,000 and 500,000 Ugandan shillings per bag.
Regina says, climate change effects can no longer be ignored because the dry season has stretched on into the four months, a fate that has never happened in Kigezi region.
The Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA) said that most parts of the country would experience dry weather conditions.
According to Regina, many farmers will most likely fail to pay off their agricultural loans to buy seedlings for the August planting season.
Ngarama Gerald, a farmer in Chahafi Town Council says the last rains they received were the killer rains that caused a mudslide that claimed the lives of eight people.
The communities are now struggling with hunger because the gardens were washed away.
Humanitarian organizations, in recent months have provided food supplies to the people however the food was hardly enough to keep the families going.
Kisoro Resident District Commissioner Hajji Shafiq Sekandi says he has been lobbying for support of agricultural seed for communities to plant however the absence of rain, presents a unique challenge.
Fidel Kamari, the chairperson for Kisoro Irish Potato growers’ co-operative advised people to opt for drought resistant varieties if they wish to grow food and get money from sales.
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