Rugaaju has been apprehensive for days. As the oldest cow in the kraal, she has witnessed much, but the temperatures on this 20th day of February 2025 are unlike anything she has experienced.
She has been on this farm for 10 years, alongside over 50 other cows. But lately, she has been contemplating the loss of her latest calf, a five-month-old bull, who was taken away two days ago. It was her last son.
According to the farm owner, Boaz Katto, the young bull was part of 20 cattle he sold off this season due to the impacts of the ongoing dry season.
His ranch at Bulyamushenyi, Ngoma in Nakaseke district is now a shadow of its usually lively self. The animals are unhappy, and the workers seem exhausted.
His farm lies within the cattle-keeping corridor, a vast area of low shrubs and grazing pastures, bordered by large rivers.
The cattle corridor stretches from southwestern Uganda, covering Rakai, Ntungamo, parts of Mbarara, Lyantonde, Kiruhura, Ssembabule, Gomba, parts of Mubende, Kiboga, Kyankwanzi, Nakasongola, Apac, Kaberamaido, Soroti and into Karamoja. This region holds the largest concentration of cattle in Uganda.
“I have to sell cattle to ease the pressure on the limited water and pastures,” Katto explains.
Despite selling off the older animals cheaply, Rugaaju and the others still lack sufficient water and food. The grazing fields are brown and the only available water source is a muddy dam.
“We have no choice. We either sell and reduce the pressure on pastures and water sources, or we risk losing the animals to the dry spell,” says
Nalongo Gaita Luwero, who runs a ranch with 150 cattle in Wakyato, just beyond Nabisojjo.
She says a cow that normally costs sh1.2m during the rainy season now sells for as little as sh700,000.
To cope with the water shortage, cattle keepers are forced to ferry water from nearby rivers, such as River Kafu or River Nabisojjo.
“I have had to hire a truck with jerrycans to fetch water from River Kafu,” Katto says.
However, it is still not enough. He has 80 local cattle and 50 dairy cows on his ranch near Bulyamushenyi. Normally, a dairy cow requires 30-40 litres of water per day, while an indigenous cow needs at least 15 litres. His daily water requirement is around 3,000 litres or 150 jerrycans, but he can only provide about 50.
Like other cattle keepers, the extra effort to get water has raised Katto’s cost of production by sh150,000 daily. Despite these efforts, milk production on the farm has dropped by half compared to December.
“In December, I produced an average of 400 litres per day, but now I am down to 200,” he laments.
This decline in milk production is a shared fate for many cattle keepers in the corridor.
Crop farmers suffer the same fate
“I have been crying. It feels like I am losing a loved one,” says Zaituni Nalwanga. Her four-acre coffee farm in Lumpewe near Kiwoko in Nakaseke district is turning brown, and the trees that once flourished are withering. Looking at the sky, Nalwanga sighs: “Twagaala nkuba. Naye omutonzi waffee yasalawo” (We want rain, but only God decides).
The dry season has also affected her banana farm.
“We had hoped for a good banana harvest during Easter, but now it is a long wait. Even if the rains come now, the banana plants won’t recover,” she says.
Irrigation can improve production
Irrigation has the potential to increase food production by over 200%. This means that if Uganda fully adopted irrigation, its food production could double.
According to the water ministry, Uganda is fortunate to have abundant water resources compared to other countries in the region.
About 18% of Uganda’s land is covered by open water and 34% is wetlands. The country boasts at least 15 large lakes.
The Rwenzori region alone contains several crater lakes, along with rivers like the Mubuku river and the Kazinga Channel, all of which could be utilised for water production.
There are 120 rivers in Uganda, as well as hundreds of water dams used for various purposes, including watering cattle along the cattle corridor. However, irrigation levels in Uganda are minimal.
The latest report from the Food and Agriculture Organisation reveals that only 0.1% of farmers in Uganda practice any form of irrigation. In contrast, Kenya has about 12% and Tanzania has about 6%.
Meteorological records show that Uganda receives between 1,500mm and 2,500mm of rainfall annually, the highest in the region. Rainfall occurs from March to May and from September to November.
However, over 95% of this rainwater is wasted. If this water was harvested, it could be used during the dry months of December to February and June to August. Agriculture contributes 20% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the entire Nile Basin.
It is the backbone of Uganda’s economy, making up 44% of total output and employing 80% of the labour force. Despite its importance, the sector has grown by only 3.5% per year over the last five years, largely due to climate change and unpredictable rainfall.
Additionally, small-holder farmers dominate the sector, owning an average of 1-2 hectares of land, which limits agricultural growth.
The 2022 Economic Assessment of the Impacts of Climate Change in Uganda highlights that drastic changes in weather patterns have affected crops, livestock and fisheries, causing volatility in agricultural production. Uganda’s freshwater resources are immense, covering about 15% of the country’s total area (37,000 square kilometres out of 241,559).
This presents a great opportunity for increased agricultural production and wealth creation.
However, the water ministry reports that only 1% of renewable freshwater resources are used for irrigation, while globally, irrigation accounts for 70% of water use. Renewable freshwater resources are declining.
In 1995, Uganda’s total water endowment was estimated at 66.6 billion cubic meters; by 2013, this had decreased to 43.3 billion cubic metres due to unsustainable human activities.
Success stories
In parts of Kasese, farmers around Mubuku no longer need to look for dark clouds in the sky to predict rain, nor do they perform rituals for rain.
Thanks to the Mubuku Irrigation Scheme, they now have water running through their gardens all year round.
Accompanied by her children and carrying fresh beans and onions from their garden, Jessica Muhinda smiles proudly.
“We are happy because we always have fresh food, unlike other areas,” she says.
Muhinda is one of the many farmers benefiting from the Mubuku Irrigation Scheme, which has boosted agricultural production since 1964. The scheme is located 16km from Kasese town, at the confluence of several rivers, including River Mubuku.
“We would not be practising agriculture if it weren’t for Mubuku,” says Vincent Muhindo, another farmer. With water always available, there is no off-season, which supports the growth of various food and cash crops.
These include rice, beans, onions, groundnuts, maize, pepper, mangoes and oranges, all grown on a large scale, depending on the season.
“Immediately after harvesting, we plant other crops since we are not worried about dry spells,” Muhindo adds.
Mubuku is just one example of the irrigation opportunities available in the Rwenzori region and throughout Uganda.
USing solar power
To improve climate change adaptation and reduce food insecurity and poverty among farmers, the Government, through the water ministry, in collaboration with the agriculture ministry, has established solar-powered irrigation schemes for farmer groups in five districts.
The pilot schemes, valued at over sh2b, were set up in Kalungu, Gomba, Mityana, Kagadi and Wakiso districts to help farmers irrigate their crops during dry spells and support sustainable agriculture.
These schemes will be monitored and maintained for five years. The primary beneficiaries are farmers’ associations and groups engaged in various enterprises.
Unlike subsistence farming, these enterprise irrigation projects aim to increase farmers’ incomes by expanding the market for their yields and products.
According to Eng. Gilbert Kimanzi, the commissioner of water for production in the water ministry, these five projects are designed to address challenges posed by changing rainfall patterns and improve crop yields to combat poverty.
Kimanzi says once these pilot schemes succeed, the ministry plans to extend similar services to rural communities across the country.
He adds that these projects are a special response to empower farmers to increase productivity, add value to their products and, ultimately, benefit from their efforts.
Although many farmers in Uganda are not familiar with advanced irrigation techniques, Kimanzi says the success of these projects will help change their attitudes.
“This involves helping them plant the right crops, apply the correct amount of water at different growth stages, choose the right seeds, test the soil for suitability and know when to apply pesticides, among other things,” he says.
Kalungu district, for example, received a sh570m solar irrigation facility, which was installed at Busoga village to aid over 35 prominent horticulture farmers.
These farmers, under the Busoga Horticulture Farmers’ Group, grow tomatoes, watermelons, green peppers, onions and cabbage.
Previously, they had encroached on several wetlands, but law enforcement authorities evicted them and destroyed their crops. Frustrated, many residents abandoned farming, while others planned to return to the swamps once they learnt about the upcoming irrigation project.
“We expect all the crops we have planted this season to be on the market by end of March, and we are preparing to use the irrigation facilities to grow more during the dry spell,” says Ronald Senyondo, the group’s chairperson.
In Mityana district, a sh600m project at Kanamba village covers more than 20 acres of land at the District Agricultural Training and Information Centre (DATIC).
This project is set to benefit over 100 farmers from four groups under the Nkokonjeru Area Co-operative Enterprise: Kanamba, Magogolo, Bukanaga and Namukozi.
The Rev. Can. Benon Semmambo, the co-operative’s vice-chairperson, says the project has encouraged farmers to grow bananas, cabbage, onions, carrots, tomatoes, pumpkins and under-exploited traditional food varieties that are at risk of extinction.
He says the project has transformed the plantations and gardens into model demonstration farms, where farmers from different communities can learn good farming practices, including irrigation.
Daniel Seremba, the Mityana district production officer, says their goal is to utilise all idle land for crop productivity.
He says their main focus is on horticulture, with a particular emphasis on fruits and vegetables for cost-benefit analysis.
“Fruits and vegetables have high demand in the local market. Therefore, farmers will produce more food and vegetables even during the dry season. We appeal to the Government to set up similar projects in other sub-counties to support farmers,” he said.
Last year, Edward Lwanga, the co-operative secretary-general, recalled that the land had been overgrown with bushy vegetation and left idle. However, earlier this year, they tried mulching with elephant grass to preserve moisture.
“But when the hostile climatic conditions set in, our crops withered. That is why we are grateful to have been selected for the irrigation project,” he recounts.
Water harvesting systems
Water harvesting is the collection and concentration of rainwater and runoff for various productive purposes, such as crop production, pasture, trees, livestock and domestic water supply.
All water harvesting systems consist of a catchment area and a storage component.
Storage can be short-term or long-term. Short-term storage is typically used for crops, fodder, pasture and tree production, while long-term storage is used for domestic and livestock water supplies.
Most of the materials needed for building such systems are readily available in the country.
“Cattle keepers must clear their water dams before the next rainy season starts. This will make it easier to collect water in the dams as the rains intensify,” says Fred Sserufusa, a veterinary officer in Kapeeka, Nakaseke district.
Sprinkler/spray irrigation: This system applies water in a manner similar to rainfall. Water is distributed through a network of pumps, valves, pipes and sprinklers.
Sprinkler irrigation can be used for residential, industrial and agricultural purposes.
Water pump types
Charles Kato from Echo Japan Tom Tom Distributors International Ltd explains that different types of pumps can be used to pump water from sources to the fields.
“To choose the best pump, one must consider the budget, farm size, water source, the amount of water needed, and the power source,” he says.
Pumps used for irrigation generally fall into two categories: displacement pumps and centrifugal pumps. Within these categories, there are several sub-categories that define the specific type of pump.
The most commonly used pumps include displacement pumps, centrifugal pumps, end-suction centrifugal pumps, submersible pumps, turbine pumps, jet pumps, booster pumps and floating pumps, among others.
Pump power Hamid Brahan from Tulime Solar Irrigation Company says farmers should consider the power source before purchasing a pump, as the cost of power can be high, making it more expensive.
“Water pumps can be powered by electricity, petroleum, diesel and solar, while some are manual, operated by foot or hands,” he explains.
Brahan recommends that small-scale farmers consider using solar-powered and manual pumps because they are inexpensive and require only a one-time installation cost.
Irrigation technologies
After harvesting the water, farmers should select the most suitable method for utilising it.
There are several types of irrigation systems, including surface irrigation, which is the oldest form and has been used for thousands of years.
Other types include micro-irrigation, drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, centre pivot irrigation and lateral move irrigation (side roll, wheel line and wheel move systems).
Vickie Nakyagaba, who works with Holland Greentech, says before choosing an irrigation system, farmers must first assess the amount of water they have, as some systems require a large water supply due to their power demands.
“Having a stable water source is a major factor contributing to the sustainability and success of any agricultural project,” she explains.
Nakyagaba highlights several irrigation systems that can be installed on farms, depending on the crops being grown:
Drip Irrigation: This is the most efficient way to irrigate various plants, including larger ones like coffee and smaller ones like vegetables. Water is delivered directly to the root zone, minimising water wastage.
This system is also ideal for watering in clay soils because it applies water slowly, allowing the soil to absorb it and reducing runoff.
Micro-irrigation: A low-pressure, low-flow-rate type of irrigation that reduces the risk of overwatering. It delivers water directly to the root zone, making it ideal for crops like strawberries that don’t need water on their leaves or excessive moisture.
Surface or Flood Irrigation: This is a common system used in Uganda, but it requires more water than the plants need. Water evaporates, seeps into the ground, and percolates down to the groundwater, which is out of reach for the plant roots.
In surface irrigation, gravity distributes water across the field, following the land’s contour. The water flows downhill from higher areas, reaching all the crops.
Harvesting water
Weather forecasts predict that rains will begin in mid-March. There are many ways to collect rainwater, such as from structures, runoff from hills and roads.
However, the key component of any rainwater harvesting system is a proper storage solution, such as a water tank, which can be either surface-level or underground.
“It can be a pond dug in a valley where water runs off from uphill, or it could be gullies dug in your garden to retain water or even water canals. The decision on which method to use is influenced by three factors; cost, system durability and the available area to accommodate the required size. Any system that meets these criteria will satisfy the end user,” says engineer Stanley Odongo.
The good news is that as long as the harvested water is stored in a clean tank, it can be used for up to six months for livestock and even longer for crops.
If the water is not pure, there are water-purifying tablets available on the market that farmers can purchase. There are various ways to extract water from these reservoirs.
For example, you can use pails fixed with ropes to draw water, a pedal pump that costs about sh500,000, or, for commercial farmers, you could install a motorised water pump, which costs around sh800,000.
Harvesting water helps farmers save a significant amount of money that would otherwise be spent on piped water for domestic use.
However, the greatest benefit is in keeping animals and crops well-watered during dry spells.
“For example, a dairy cow requires at least 40 litres of water per day. However, many farmers provide less water during the dry season due to poor supply,” says Dr William Kabanda from URUS.
