Prolonged, unpredictable sunshine in parts of northern Uganda has left farmers in Omoro District in panic, fearing that their second-season crops may dry up before yielding. The hot and dry weather, which began at the start of November, has now lasted a month, affecting 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 her crop is failing to perform as expected due to the current dry spell. “I was expecting my maize to grow with enough rainfall between September to December, but I was disappointed to have too much sunshine for one month at the point my maize was yielding fruits, and yet last year I planted my maize in the same month I harvested more,” she said.
With grazing conditions worsening, Adong adds that some farmers have begun letting their livestock roam freely due to the scarcity of green pastures capable of sustaining animals such as goats and cattle. Benson Omona, a farmer from Akidi Sub-County, says the harsh weather has caused him significant losses after his three acres of soybeans produced far below expectations.
“Last year I planted Soyabean in the same garden I harvested 6 bags. Now this year I managed to get only one and a half bags of soybeans; all this loss occurred due to too much sunshine hitting between October and November, the month when crops are supposed to produce enough seeds,” he said.
Ivan Oweka, the Omoro District Agricultural Officer, noted that the prolonged sunshine has taken farmers by surprise since many did not anticipate such weather patterns. He encouraged farmers to rely on meteorological forecasts to properly plan their planting seasons.
“Most of the farmers plant crops without timing the right season of rainfall available and the little rainfall season,” he said. According to meteorology reports, northern Uganda is expected to receive heavy rainfall between April and July for the first season, and again from August to October for the second season in 2025.
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