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.
Godfrey Kahiiga, a cattle farmer from Kigorobya Sub County says all the dams and wells where their animals would access drinking water have dried up forcing them to trek close to over 10km in search of water for their animals daily.
Kuskus, a resident of Napak and chairperson of the district land board observes that the new trend of grazing in Teso, Lango and Acholi by the Karimojong pastoralists during dry spells has just been adapted and optimized by wrong elements.
Susan Chuwai, an official from Amudat Inter-Religious Development Initiative, says they have registered at least 40 complaints of extortion from herders especially in Karita Sub County.
Innocent Tugume, a resident of Kabarebere town council, says farmers are the most affected by the water crisis. Tugume, who owns a piggery farm, says he uses his motorcycle to fetch water about five kilometers away for his farm, which costs him Shillings 5000 each day
Rose Kyomuhendo, a rice farmer in Kakonga parish, Rwimi Sub County says that during the rainy season, she stores water in her underground tanks, which she uses in the dry season to irrigate her garden.
Felix Irumba, a farmer in Kaina parish who has been depending on rice production to earn a living says that he sold four acres of his garden at 7 million Shillings to enable him pay school fees for four children in secondary school. He explains that maintaining his land during the dry spell is quite very expensive.
In Katikamu sub county, the LC 3 Chairperson Sam Sserunjogi explains that atleast 50 boreholes are currently non functional after communities over stressed them.Sserunjogi adds that only 35 boreholes are currently working but only 12 boreholes can produce safe water.
Water scarcity is forcing some farmers in rural areas in Uganda to come up with ingenious methods to keep their crops watered and their families healthy. One such method is the use of a tredo pump being used by farmers in Masaka. A tredo pump is an instrument that manually draws water from a water source to the surface. It has two cups with nasals and these cups are filled up with water before it operates.
Doctor Sam Eswaggu, the Nakasongola District Veterinary Officer says most water sources there have dried up as they experienced little rains last year.
United States Agency for International Development-USAID has a launched a multi billion shillings project to strengthen the distribution of essential drugs.
