**Prolonged Drought Leaves Masaka Farmers Facing Heavy Losses**
*Masaka, Uganda –* Thousands of farmers in Masaka City are reporting significant losses after nearly four months of continuous sunshine and drought. Coffee, matooke (a type of banana), and other food crops have been severely affected, raising concerns about food security and household incomes in an area where many families rely on agriculture for their livelihoods.
During a visit to farmers in Kanabukulilo Village, Bisanje Ward, Kimanya‑Kabonera Division, State Minister for Local Government Hon. Justine Nameere Nsubuga spoke with local growers on Saturday. She expressed alarm over the drought’s impact and highlighted the presence of counterfeit agricultural inputs on the market. “Farmers have lost money after purchasing products that fail to deliver the expected results,” she said. The minister also criticized agricultural extension workers and production officers for not providing sufficient guidance on preparing for and responding to prolonged dry spells.
Nameere suggested that some of the losses could have been mitigated if farmers had received better advice on appropriate farming practices, water conservation, and drought‑mitigation measures. She announced that the government has recently signed a new irrigation project that will benefit Masaka City, aiming to improve farmers’ resilience and sustain agricultural production during dry periods. The minister pledged to engage the Office of the Prime Minister to explore additional support for affected farmers and called for stronger action against counterfeit inputs.
Coffee farmers have been hit particularly hard. Oscar Mutebi, who distributed coffee seedlings in Masaka, said the dry spell had caused many farmers to lose heavily invested seedlings. “We faced a lot of challenges, with most of the coffee drying in the gardens, yet we had projected coffee farming as a business to get people out of poverty,” Mutebi said. He noted that 10 million seedlings were distributed in Masaka, but unpredictable rains have undermined planting efforts. For farmers, the loss of young coffee plants represents a long‑term setback, as coffee takes several years to become profitable.
Zainab Nakidde, a coffee farmer in Masaka City, urged fellow growers not to lose hope. “We must remain committed to agriculture and continue preparing our gardens for the return of the rains,” she said.
Masaka Resident City Commissioner Ahmed Washaki acknowledged the prolonged dry conditions and appealed to residents to remain patient while closely monitoring and caring for their farms. He linked changing weather patterns to environmental degradation, urging communities to protect wetlands and other natural resources. “We’ve faced heavy rains here. I also think we need to conserve our environment. Environmental degradation and wetland encroachment cause such scarcity of rain,” Washaki said.
The immediate concern for affected farmers is how to recover from the losses while preparing for increasingly unpredictable seasons. The planned irrigation intervention, along with strengthened agricultural extension services and measures against counterfeit inputs, could provide a lifeline if effectively implemented.
Article and image source: watchdoguganda.com
