Only 39 farmers in Kitgum District have enrolled in the Government of Uganda’s Microscale Irrigation Programme despite 595 initially expressing interest, with district officials attributing the low uptake to high co-funding requirements, limited access to reliable water sources and low farmer participation. The Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers (UGIFT) Microscale Irrigation Programme, funded by the Government of Uganda with support from the World Bank, was introduced in Kitgum during the 2023/24 financial year to help farmers transition from rain-fed agriculture to year-round production in response to increasingly erratic weather patterns.
Jacob Okema, the district coordinator of the UGIFT Microscale Irrigation Programme, said the district has conducted 282 feasibility assessments since the programme was launched, but only 39 farmers have met the eligibility requirements and contributed their share towards the installation of irrigation systems. “Since the programme came to Kitgum, we have conducted 282 farm visits, and only 39 farmers have managed to co-fund the installations. Together with five demonstration sites established by the district, we now have 44 irrigation sites,” Okema said during Kitgum’s first Farmers’ Field Day held under the programme on Thursday.
Under the initiative, farmers are required to contribute 25 per cent of the installation cost while the government covers the remaining 75 per cent. Depending on the size of the farm, terrain and irrigation technology selected, beneficiaries contribute a minimum of about Shs2 million.Okema said many applicants failed to qualify because they lacked permanent water sources such as rivers, streams, boreholes or shallow wells, while others could not afford the required contribution.
“The biggest challenges have been a lack of water sources and an inability to raise the co-funding. Some farmers expressed interest without a water source, while others simply failed to raise the required amount,” he said. Before irrigation equipment is installed, extension workers conduct feasibility studies to assess water availability, land size and the most appropriate irrigation technology. Eligible farmers are then required to make an initial payment of 1 million Shillings before clearing the balance ahead of installation.
Despite the slow uptake, Kitgum Acting District Agricultural Officer Uthan Okot said the district could no longer afford to depend solely on rainfall if it was to increase agricultural productivity. “The time for leaving crops to the mercy of God to provide rain is long gone. Farmers should enrol for this programme because irrigation is the future of agriculture,” Okot said. He noted that many countries had already shifted from rain-fed agriculture, adding that northern Uganda must embrace irrigation to improve household incomes and food security.
“This government programme is meant to uplift us from depending on rainfall. Kitgum is fortunate to be among the 95 districts benefiting from the programme, but only 39 farmers and a few demonstration sites have benefited so far. That is still a very small number compared to the farming population.”
Okot said many farmers with access to reliable water sources had not applied for the programme and urged them to take advantage of the second phase. “I know there are many farmers who have water sources but did not apply for the irrigation equipment. As Phase Two comes, I urge farmers not to miss this opportunity,” he said. He added that irrigation would enable farmers to produce throughout the year and earn higher incomes by supplying produce during the dry season, when market prices are generally higher.
“If everyone grows vegetables during the rainy season, the markets become flooded, and prices fall because supply is high. But if we produce during the dry season, farmers earn more. If we want to fight poverty, we must farm throughout the year,” he said. Kitgum Resident District Commissioner Jimmy Segawa Ebil also called on farmers to embrace irrigation technologies, describing water as the new foundation of agricultural production in the face of changing climate conditions.
“Water is now a constant in agriculture because rainfall has become unreliable. Farmers are either irrigating their crops or farming near water bodies. Government is investing heavily in this programme, and farmers should take advantage of it after paying a small contribution,” Ebil said. He appealed to the government to introduce a more flexible co-funding arrangement to enable more farmers to participate.
“We need to mobilise our farmers to increase the uptake of small-scale irrigation equipment. Farmers should be allowed to stagger their payments in instalments so that more of them can afford the programme,” he said. For farmers already benefiting from the initiative, the impact has been significant. David Mugisha Okot, a farmer from Guda Village in Lagoro Sub-county, said the irrigation system has enabled him to continue growing vegetables despite prolonged dry spells. He cultivates vegetables on three acres, including the drought-tolerant Baraka cabbage variety, using irrigation equipment acquired through the programme.
“Now that there is no rain, I use the irrigation equipment to water my vegetables and nursery beds. It has helped me a lot because I no longer depend on rainfall,” he said. Although floods destroyed his crops last year, preventing him from completing his 2.5 million Shillings contribution, Okot said the investment has transformed his farming enterprise.
“My contribution was about 2.5 million Shillings. I haven’t completed paying because floods destroyed my crops last year, and I failed to clear the loan. But irrigation relieves you of the stress of waiting for rain. I now grow vegetables throughout the year, and vegetables are always in high demand compared to cereal crops,” he said-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
