Joyce Namugambe
While other areas around the country have been experiencing heavy rainfall between the month of July and September, coffee farmers in Ntungamo district have been facing the challenge of drought that has dried up their plantations.
Some farmers in Ntungamo district transitioned to coffee farming with hope of getting more profits compared to their previous farming endeavors such as cattle keeping and other farming business but they are losing hope after the dry season affected their coffee plants.
A resident of Kabungo village in Rwenanura town council, Francis Karyeija noted that the dry season has not only affected the coffee plants but also banana plantations and cattle. He added that they had just started their harvest when the dry season started.
Another resident of Bunyora village in Lubale town council Immaculate Tumushabe revealed that they were encouraged to grow coffee as an alternative crop and invested a lot of efforts and money in planting and nurturing the coffee gardens. He added that he planted over 2000 trees of coffee but he is left with around 500 plants due to the sunshine.
Another coffee farmer Amos Kanyesigye showed the need for organising trainings for farmers which he believes will help them acquire more skills on how to withstand the challenges of the dry season. He has lost over 8 acres of coffee.
Ntungamo district agricultural officer Ester Atwiine noted that the district received some funds to support small scale irrigation, but the funds were insufficient to assist all affected farmers.
Affected farmers therefore call upon authorities to provide support through irrigation and better quality seedlings plus markets for their produce to help them earn a living from their efforts.
