In previous years, consistent rainfall ensured that many parts of Uganda were covered in lush vegetation, while rivers, wells and valley dams provided water for communities and livestock.
This year, however, the picture is starkly different. The country expected rains in August, when many areas would ordinarily be green and rivers flowing. Instead, prolonged dry conditions have left water sources depleted, crops wilting and livestock struggling for food and water.
The effects are being felt across the country, from Karamoja and Teso in the north-east to Sembabule, Greater Masaka, Bugisu and West Nile.
In Karamoja, Oxfam estimates that nearly half a million people are experiencing acute hunger as climate shocks compound longstanding vulnerabilities.
Mr Francis Shanty Odokorach, the Country Director for Oxfam Uganda, said residents were not only facing food shortages but were also running out of options.
Mr Odokorach cited findings from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), indicating that only 54.1 percent of households still have food stocks, with most expected to exhaust them within a month.
‘Immediate support is crucial for families to purchase food, access safe water, and protect their livestock, which is vital for their recovery. Although the government has provided assistance, it remains insufficient to address the scale of need amid limited humanitarian funding,’ he said.
Water sources dry up
Mr Peter Adei, the chairperson of the Karamoja Council of Elders, said critical water sources relied on by the Karamojong and neighbouring Turkana communities had dried up, worsening the suffering.
The crisis has also been compounded by wildfires that have destroyed settlements in Kalapata, Kaabong and Napumpum in Kotido District.
‘The pain is much, some of these fires are caused by young children trying to force out edible rats from their hiding, before they know in their innocence, the fires get wild, leaving hundreds of households in their way completely burnt to ashes,’ Mr Adei explained.
In neighbouring Katakwi District, Mr Juventino Maruk, LC1 of Akamurei Village, Akamurei Parish, Ongongoja Sub-county, said valley tanks in Oroboi, Aumoi, Akamurei and Angolekit had completely dried up.
Food prices have also risen sharply. Mr Maruk said the price of cassava had doubled from Shs35,000 to Shs70,000 per basin at Ocorimongin cattle market.
‘The solar-powered water facilities installed to support the community have also been unable to withstand the intense heat, which has adversely affected the water table levels,’ he stated.
Mr Godfrey Omolo, the Katakwi District chairperson, said more than 250,000 gardens had been affected by the current climate shocks.
The government has since started distributing more than 50,000 tonnes of posho and beans.
Farmers spend more to save livestock
In Sembabule District, farmers have resorted to hiring mobile water tanks after valley tanks and dams dried up.
Mr Henry Basiima, a farmer in Nabitanga Sub-county, said livestock watering points had dried, leaving animals without sufficient water and pasture.
‘Farmers are compelled to pay between Shs200,000 and Shs250,000 for mobile water tanks to refill the dried valley dams on their farms. This water is insufficient to sustain the livestock, and many farmers are concerned about the future of their animals if the rains do not arrive by mid-September 2026,’ he explained.
Mr Joseph Semu Nduhura, another farmer, said he had spent nearly Shs2 million in one week hiring a mobile water tank to refill a dried-up valley dam at Ntuusi Sub-county.
‘The nearest water source for refilling mobile water tanks is approximately 18 kilometres from my farm. I incur a cost of Shs180,000 per tank to replenish the dried-up valley dam on my property. I am reluctant to drive the animals to Kakinga Dam for watering due to the considerable distance they would need to travel. Several farmers have experienced livestock losses due to starvation,’ he said.
In Kyanja B Village, Nabitanga Sub-county, farmers said hiring a mobile water tank costs between Shs250,000 and Shs300,000 because of the distance from Kakinga Dam, the only available water reservoir.
Mr Patrick Nkalubo, the Sembabule District chairperson, said several coffee gardens had withered.
‘The ongoing dry spell has severely impacted Sembabule. Numerous valley dams have dried up, forcing farmers to hire mobile water tanks to replenish them for animal watering. The situation is dire, with some farmers already losing livestock due to the drought. We have also recorded instances of withered coffee gardens,’ he said.
Drought pushes up food prices
In Jinja, the central business hub for Busoga, cattle traders and butchers say prolonged drought in cattle-producing areas is reducing both the availability and quality of livestock reaching the city.
Mr Ronald Mutabi Byalugaba, the general secretary of the Jinja City Abattoir and Traders Association, said cattle farming in Busoga had declined as many farmers shifted to sugarcane growing.
Traders now rely heavily on livestock from Ankole, Teso and Karamoja, but drought has affected several of these source areas.
‘Drought has affected us greatly. When animals lack adequate grass and water, they become weak and some die,’ Mr Mutabi said.
The price of cattle has also risen, with a 100-kilogramme animal now costing about Shs2 million, up from between Shs1.5 million and Shs1.6 million.
In Kabale District, food and fruit prices have also risen as dry conditions affect surrounding farming areas. Mr Jackson Nasiima, the chairperson of the Meat and Cattle Traders Association at Kabale Main Abattoir, said scarcity of cattle from neighbouring districts had pushed up prices.
‘The price of a kilogramme of beef has risen from Shs16,000 to Shs18,000, while goat meat has increased from Shs18,000 to Shs20,000. We remain hopeful that prices will decrease once cattle supply stabilises with the onset of rains. However, for now, scarcity is the primary driver of this price hike,’ he said.
In Bugisu, where many farmers depend on rain-fed agriculture, concerns are growing over food security and household incomes.
‘We are staring at a disaster. If rains don’t come, we will face a severe food shortage,’ Mr Amiri Manana, a resident of Bukonde in Mbale City, said.
The situation is similar in Namisindwa, Bulambuli, Sironko and Manafwa districts, where crops have been affected and livestock are struggling to find pasture and water.
Mr Amuza Wamono, a researcher based in Mbale, said the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries should scale up irrigation programmes.
‘The farmers can longer rely on rainfall and if the government cannot intervene now, we are likely to face a hunger crisis,’ he said.
In Nebbi District, farmer Santo Ogen said unreliable rains had put his one-acre bean garden at risk.
Mr Ogen said he had invested about Shs300,000 in the garden but was now worried about losing the crop.
‘I am now seeing that the leaves are turning yellow. And this is not a good sign. I pray some rain comes soon mid this month, otherwise, it will be a great loss for me after investing about Shs300,000 in the garden,’ he said.
In Arua District, farmer Grace Alia attributed the worsening situation partly to environmental degradation. She called for government subsidies to make irrigation equipment affordable.
Beekeepers count losses
The changing weather pattern has also hit beekeepers in Teso, where apiary farmers are reporting losses for the second consecutive season.
In Atiira Sub-county, Serere District, more than 100 beekeepers have failed to harvest honey during the mid-year season.
Mr David Oluka, a retired head teacher who keeps bees and grows citrus in Apokor Village, said the missed harvest had cost him an important source of income.
Under normal conditions, he said, the mid-year harvest would earn him between Shs3 million and Shs5 million, money he uses to pay fees and tuition.
Mr Ben Amodoi, proprietor of Teso Honey and related products, said the problem had persisted since last year.
Cost of drought
Shs70,000: Price of a basin of cassava in Katakwi, up from Shs35,000.
Shs2 million: Price of a 100kg animal in Jinja, up from Shs1.5m-Shs1.6m.
Shs18,000: Price of a kilogramme of beef in Kabale, up from Shs16,000.
Shs20,000: Price of a kilogramme of goat meat, up from Shs18,000.
Shs250,000-Shs300,000: Cost of hiring a mobile water tank in parts of Sembabule.