Areas that were hit by drought in late 2018 and early 2019 have been warned to stay prepared for more tough conditions that may result into hunger any time.
The East Africa meteorologists predicted that the cattle corridor districts of Nakaseke, Nakasongora and Karamoja districts which were hardly hit by dry spell at the beginning of 2019 are likely to face hunger.
3.5 million is the population number estimated to starve in the anticipated hunger because of the weather whims that affected planting leading to negative harvest.
In February this year, while other areas complained of devastating rains, residents of Nakasongora and Nakaseke were crying foul because of the drought that caused deaths of their cows and dried up all the gardens. A result of drought, a kilogram of meat in Nakasongora dropped in price from Shs10,000 to 1,000 and cows costed between Shs50,000 and 80,000.
Furthermore, the suppressed rains that ravaged the country in early April and mid-May 2019 impacted negatively on crop farmers affecting their harvest since there was no timely planting.
The suppressed rainfall was largely caused by the Tropical Cyclone Idai, which formed in early March in the Mozambique Channel and redirected precipitations away from East Africa According to meteorologists.
Weather forecasts previously pointed to average to above-average March-May rains, but subsequent updates predicted dry conditions in April and mixed performance of rains in May. It is estimated that as a result, crop production will be below-average levels raising major food security concerns in areas that depend entirely on rainfall for crop production.
Other areas that are likely to have their people starve are Teso and the poverty-stricken Busoga.
In an attempt by the government to protect its citizens from this calamity, Shs40bn have been approved for emergency procurement of food according to the government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo.
Ofwono adds that there is high time the agricultural sector is critically supported because it is unfortunate that recurrent climatic shocks continue to undermine household resilience.
