An unusual and prolonged dry season has left farmers in Omoro district, northern Uganda, fearing for their livelihoods.
The hot, dry weather unexpectedly began in early November, has now stretched for a month, scorching crops such as maize, green vegetables, sunflowers, and soybeans. Betty Adong, a farmer from Lakwana sub-county, planted two acres of maize in September. She says the current weather has severely disrupted her harvest.
“I was expecting my maize to grow with enough rainfall between September and December. But instead, we had too much sunshine for a whole month just when my maize was supposed to be yielding. Last year, I planted in the same month and harvested more,” she said.
With grazing conditions deteriorating, Adong adds that some farmers have begun letting their livestock roam freely due to the scarcity of green pastures capable of sustaining goats and cattle.
Benson Omona, a farmer from Akidi sub-county, has also suffered heavy losses after his three acres of soybeans produced far below expectations.
“Last year, I planted soybeans in the same garden and harvested six bags. This year, I managed only one and a half. The loss came from too much sunshine between October and November, the months when crops should be producing enough seeds,” he said.
Ivan Oweka, the Omoro district agricultural officer, said the prolonged sunshine caught many farmers off guard since they did not anticipate such a shift in weather patterns.
He encouraged farmers to pay closer attention to meteorological forecasts when planning their planting seasons.
“Most farmers plant without considering the right rainfall season or the shorter rainy periods available,” Oweka noted.
According to the Uganda National Meteorological Authority, northern Uganda is expected to receive heavy rainfall between April and July for the first planting season of 2025, and again from August to October for the second season.
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