In Bududa District, nestled on the vulnerable slopes of Mt Elgon, the land is no longer a source of livelihood—it’s a looming threat.
Frequent landslides, driven by climate change and human pressure on fragile ecosystems, are swallowing entire villages and leaving farmers in despair.
Yet as the climate crisis deepens, another quiet emergency is unfolding: the total breakdown of agricultural support systems meant to protect those living on the edge.
Over the years, successive disasters have underscored just how critical agricultural extension services are in areas like Bududa—not only to boost food production but to build resilience, restore degraded land, and prevent further tragedy.
But for most farmers here, those services are just a myth.
“I have farmed on this land for 20 years, but I’ve never seen an agricultural officer,” says Mary Wekesa, a widow and mother of six from Bushika Sub-county.
“We use old methods. We farm on steep hills. And when the rains come, they take everything.”
Bududa has become Uganda’s symbol of climate vulnerability. Landslides triggered by intense rains routinely bury homes, wash away crops, and kill livestock.
Yet, while the threats grow more acute, support for agriculture—one of the few tools communities have to fight back—has all but disappeared.
Yusu Natala, Bududa’s District Agricultural Officer, says the system is overwhelmed.
“We have just a handful of extension workers to cover the entire district. The ratio is about one extension worker for every 1,000 farmers—double the national recommendation,” he explains.
“Many sub-counties go months or years without seeing any professional support.”
The consequence is a cycle of vulnerability: poor agronomic practices degrade the land, increasing the risk of erosion and landslides.
With no expert guidance, farmers are left with exhausted soils, poor yields, and deepening poverty—making it harder to relocate or adopt climate-smart alternatives.
Agricultural extension services were designed to be the state’s bridge between science and the soil—ensuring that even the most remote farmer could access information, innovation, and inputs to adapt to changing conditions.
In disaster-prone areas like Bududa, this role becomes even more critical.
“These are not just agricultural workers—they’re climate resilience agents,” said an agricultural and disaster risk specialist.
“They’re supposed to teach soil conservation, tree planting, water management, and emergency preparedness. Without them, we are sending farmers into a war with no tools.”
The absence of these frontline officers has turned Bududa into a case study in avoidable disaster.
After each landslide, communities rebuild on the same slopes, clear the same forests, and plant crops on dangerously exposed hillsides. It’s not stubbornness—it’s a lack of alternatives.
Paul Masanga, a farmer in Bukalasi, puts it succinctly: “We’re not ignoring advice. No one is giving us any.”
The government and development partners have initiated several land restoration programs in the region, but these are undermined by the lack of extension follow-up leading to further land degradation and food insecurity.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the national extension system has suffered years of underfunding, fragmented implementation, and unclear mandates between district and central government structures.
Experts are calling for:
- A disaster-responsive extension model, where areas like Bududa are prioritized for staffing and training based on their climate vulnerability.
- Investment in climate-smart agriculture, with a focus on steep terrain, soil stabilization, and agroforestry.
- Reinstating community-based extension approaches, including farmer field schools, to supplement limited personnel.
- Incentivizing youth and paraprofessionals to join the extension workforce and fill service gaps in hard-to-reach areas.
As the rains grow more erratic and the soil continues to slide, Bududa’s future hinges not just on emergency relief or resettlement—it depends on rebuilding trust and functionality in Uganda’s agricultural support systems.