For hours each day, farmers in the Mubuku Irrigation Scheme wait for their turn to access water, hoping there will be enough to keep their crops alive. Instead, many are forced to spend between five and eight hours irrigating just one acre, while others watch their gardens dry up as water supplies continue to dwindle.
Mary Tumuhimbise says the biggest challenge facing farmers is the persistent shortage of irrigation water, which has made it difficult to grow crops despite their willingness to produce food.
Saturday Hamad says farmers have complied with water-rationing guidelines introduced to manage the limited supply, but the scarcity continues to undermine production. He notes that although the scheme initially promised farmers 2,100 units of water, that target has not been achieved. He also appealed for a review of water charges to help address rising operational costs and sustain the scheme.
Farmer Clovis Lhusenge from Nyakatonze says water is available, but the amount reaching farmers is far from adequate. He explains that poor organization of the irrigation canals, which are not properly aligned to plot blocks, has made water distribution inefficient and unfair.
He wants the Nyakatonze landlord to take a more active role in overseeing the scheme’s management. Lhusenge adds that because of the limited water supply, farmers now spend between five and eight hours irrigating a single acre, increasing labour costs and reducing productivity.
Local leader Saad Behemuka attributes the water shortages to the prolonged dry spell, which has significantly reduced water levels in River Mubuku, the main source of water for the irrigation scheme. Despite the challenges, Behemuka says preparations for the August planting season are underway, with mapping activities already in progress.
He has urged farmers to clear their gardens early to protect crops from destruction by roaming cattle, a recurring problem in the scheme. Meanwhile, Nyakatonze Cooperative Union Manager Adam Bwambale faulted the Ministry of Water for appointing officials who are not farmers to manage the irrigation scheme, arguing that this has contributed to poor decision-making and ineffective management.
Bwambale, together with the union’s Vice Chairperson Jeremia Bwanandeke, says they intend to summon the responsible officials to explain the continued complaints over unequal water distribution and to account for the management of the scheme. He says efforts are also underway to engage agricultural officials in finding lasting solutions to the irrigation challenges affecting farmers-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
