Prolonged Drought Leaves Masaka Farmers Counting Heavy Losses As Crops Wither
Thousands of smallholder farmers in Masaka City are counting heavy financial losses after nearly four months of relentless sunshine and severe drought destroyed coffee, matooke, and vital food crops, according to local reports. The prolonged dry spell threatens household incomes and regional food security across an agricultural community deeply dependent on predictable seasonal rains for its daily livelihood.
Ministerial Inspection Highlights Crop Failures and Substandard Inputs
State Minister for Local Government Justine Nameere Nsubuga toured Kanabukulilo Village within Bisanje Ward, Kimanya-Kabonera Division, to assess the agricultural damage firsthand. During her inspection on Saturday, Nameere expressed deep concern over the scale of the devastation and criticized agricultural extension workers and production officers for failing to provide adequate guidance.
According to Nameere, timely advice on appropriate farming methods, water conservation, and drought mitigation could have significantly reduced the losses. Beyond the weather, the minister highlighted a parallel crisis involving counterfeit agricultural inputs flooding the market. Farmers reported losing money on fake fertilizers that failed to perform, compounding the financial devastation caused by the four-month dry spell.
“Farmers raised concerns about the increasing presence of fake fertilisers on the market, saying they have lost money after purchasing products that fail to deliver the expected results,” Nameere stated during the visit.
Coffee Investments Stalled Amid Unpredictable Rains
Coffee producers have shouldered a severe share of the economic blow. Oscar Mutebi, who coordinated the distribution of coffee seedlings in Masaka, noted that millions of young plants withered in the soil despite rigorous distribution efforts aligned with directives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries.
“We faced a lot of challenges, with most of the coffee drying in the gardens, yet we had projected coffee farming as a business to get people out of poverty,” Mutebi said. He noted that Masaka received 10 million seedlings under government initiatives, but unpredictable rainfall patterns derailed growth for farmers who invested substantial labor and capital.
Because coffee requires years of sustained investment before yielding commercial returns, the loss of young plants strikes at the core of rural economic stability. Zainab Nakidde, a local coffee farmer, urged her peers to remain resilient and continue preparing their fields for the eventual return of the rains.
Government Intervention and Environmental Warnings
Addressing the crisis, Nameere revealed that the central government has signed a new irrigation project that includes Masaka City as a primary beneficiary. The initiative aims to provide an alternative water source to sustain agricultural production during extended dry periods, reducing total reliance on rain-fed farming systems. Furthermore, the minister pledged to engage the Office of the Prime Minister to secure emergency relief for the hardest-hit households.
Masaka Resident City Commissioner Ahmed Washaki accompanied the minister during the inspection and linked the severity of the drought directly to ongoing environmental degradation. Washaki warned that wetland encroachment and the destruction of natural resources severely diminish local rainfall generation.
“We’ve faced heavy rains here. I also think we need to conserve our environment. Environmental degradation and wetland encroachment cause such scarcity of rain,” Washaki said.