Members of Parliament on the Natural Resources Committee have tasked the Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA) to provide factual weather forecasts so as to support Uganda's agriculture.
The Committee chaired by Hon. Keefa Kiwanuka noted that many farmers in the country are in a very difficult situation due to failure to anticipate weather patterns during planting seasons.
“Ugandans in the countryside depend largely on agriculture but stakeholders have let us down on weather forecasts. Why do you give inaccurate forecasts yet the equipment is there,” asked Hon. Kassiano Wadri (Ind. Arua Municipality).
Rubanda West MP, Hon. Denis Sabiiti said that harsh weather conditions like heavy rains had destroyed crops, property and infrastructure in districts like Kasese and advised the Authority to set up early warning systems.
“How are you positioning yourselves to give early warnings to avert calamities like foods which destroy bridges, roads and even people’s crops?” Sabiiti asked.
Brig. Innocent Oula (UPDF) said UNMA ought to provide accurate weather information to Government agencies like the Ministry of Agriculture and that of Disaster Preparedness, “… so that the public can easily pick it up from their Local Government offices after it has been shared”.
