By Alex Pithua 

Significant number of small-scale commercial farmers in Zombo district, West Nile Subregion are frustrated after prolonged dry spell phenomena have devastated crops causing a significant number of losses.

The high expectations for bumper harvest in first season have been decimated as a number of farmers are crying out loud.

The farmers who predominantly relied on natural weather prediction and rain fed crop production in other parts of Uganda have equally suffered the brant of the long scotching sun shine causing grievous impact on gardens.

"This is climate change reality impacting on us," a farmer only preferred to be called Onyona in Athuma Sub-county Zombo district.

Several late planters of short seasons maturing food crops such as maize, beans, tomatoes, Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, millet. Sorghum, among others are highly affected and subsequently perennial crops (Coffee and Banana) are ravaged by the scotching sunshine heat waves.

Aol Ajoga Chrisanto, one of the farmers in Arwinyi village, Kigezi Paris, Zeu Sub-county, shared disturbing ordeals saying in mid-May 2026, he transplanted 2260 coffee seedlings, an investment worth over UGX 2 million but significant amount of them dried completely.

"In this garden am not using irrigation but where am using irrigation for food crops am harvesting " Aol Ajoga recounted

Henry Kakonge Unungawun, a farmer in Cana Cell, Abira West Ward, Zombo town council heavily lost one acre of Coffee Seedlings he had planted. This was government initiative to support farmers through Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) in May.

Unungawun expressed fear of food insecurity this year since the impact of the heat waves much plantation.

Grace Pacunaga Atyak Sub-county Abalatei Village, Anyola Parish, says out of 1acre coffee she planted this year, she lost 50 coffee plants.

Pacunaga observed that she planted coffee in three phases within three years however, she lost most of the plants for this year after MAAIF boost farmers capacity with coffee seedlings.

She has planned to plant 3000 coffee plants garden with the hope of paying school fees for three children, "my children are still in primary school, am planting coffee for paying their school fees.

The MAAIF with support from the World Bank is advocating for adoption of irrigation system to supplement farming through co-funding under Micro-scale irrigation programme.

According to MAAIF 6000 irrigation system are installed across the country; 

marking major shift to sustainable meaningful commercial crop production and attaining food security as the country is set to commence the phase2 Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfer programme (UgITF) programme by September 2026.

Zombo district Production Officer, Dr Walter Kumakech revealed that after five-year UgITF programme implementation, the district installed 41 irrigation systems to the committed commercial farmers under co-funding to supplement rain fed farming.

Speaking at the opening of Micro-scale Irrigation Annual Sector Coordination Meeting Under the Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfer programme at Imperial Royale Hotel-Kampala UgITF over the weekend. The head of Planning at the MAAIF Collins Amanya rallied the implementers of the programme to champion transition from subsistence farming to commercial production using irrigation approach.

Amanya was representing the Permanent Secretary MAAIF during the meeting.

He reminded the attendees about president Yoweri Museveni Kaguta efforts of fighting poverty through commercial agriculture.

During the recent state of the nation address, "President implored boosting agriculture and irrigation is the driver." Amanya remarked

The convened coordination meeting had district Agriculture engineers (DAEs), 

District Production Officers (DPOs), District Communication Officers (DCOs) and Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) respectively.

Engineer James Kasozi Tondo National Coordinator Micro-Scale Irrigation confirmed that the government have received the funds for the phase2 programme after successful implementation phase1 programme.

The Buvuma District (CAO), Isaac Mwebe, who is Also in beneficiary during closing remarks said the National Development Plan IV, the aspiration of Uganda is very clear we have to improve productivity and this is going to be achieved through irrigation.

In March 2025, during parliamentary session, Parliament’s chairperson of the Committee on Climate Change, Lawrence Biyika, has warned of the impending heavy rains and floods resulting from the current heat wave, demanding that the government devise clear mitigation measures. 

“At the end of the dry season, there will be a lot of rain and floods. Because of the evaporation on open water such as Lake Victoria, the heat is boiling water, we must be disaster prepared, rather than waiting for relief after the disaster,” Biyika said. 

He was responding to the Statement on Weather Patterns, presented to Parliament on Wednesday by the Minister of Water and Environment, Beatrice Anywar. 

Biyika, who possesses qualifications in environment and natural resources, observed that the long dry spell is bound to affect agriculture and, eventually, the economy.

He asked the government to consider adaptation measures for such climate change effects, proposing a firm fight against deforestation and wetland destruction, which he said are on the rise.

Maturing Coffee beans destroyed by heat waves in Zombo district, West Nile after prolonged sunshine. Photo by Alex Pithua

Sunshine destroyed maize in Zombo district. Photo by Alex Pithua

Pithua Alex is news editor at Zoomer Africa your number one grassroot information hub for African news trends and updates.