As hunger continues to affect communities across Karamoja, farmers in Lokitumo Village, Lotisan Sub-county, Moroto District, are harvesting vegetables and earning income through a solar-powered water supply system established by the Ministry of Water and Environment.
In Lokitumo, farmers are growing sukuma wiki, onions, tomatoes and other vegetables despite the prolonged drought affecting much of the Karamoja sub-region. Across the region, crops have been severely affected by dry conditions, while reports of hunger-related deaths have heightened concerns over food insecurity.
The solar-powered water supply system is helping restore livelihoods in the community, where a women-led farming group is using irrigation to sustain vegetable production and generate income.
Assistant Commissioner for Multipurpose and Bulk Water Development at the Ministry of Water and Environment, Ronald Kato Kayizzi, said the project was designed to establish irrigation demonstration sites where farmers can acquire skills in irrigated agronomy.
“The solar-powered water supply system focuses on establishing a minimum of two and a maximum of five acres of land per site as a centre of excellence where people are trained in irrigated agronomy. Phase one is coming to an end, and there is a possibility of scaling up the project. The Moroto site is successful,” Kayizzi said.
Ministry officials, together with district leaders, visited the site during a farmer field day where farmers showcased their harvests and shared experiences from the project.
Moroto District Senior Agricultural Engineer Geoffrey Wanamama said the project demonstrates that agriculture can thrive in Karamoja if farmers have access to sustainable water sources.
“This project proves that agriculture is possible in Karamoja as long as there is sustainable water. As a district, our role has been training the farmers and carrying out routine monitoring of the project,” Wanamama said.
Assistant Resident District Commissioner Aol Mark Musoke called on the Ministry of Water and Environment to expand the initiative to other parts of the region.
“This project is successful and should be scaled up. In times of hunger like this, such a project becomes a lifeline to the region,” Musoke said.
Besides supporting irrigation, the solar-powered water system also provides water for livestock through watering troughs and supplies domestic water to nearby residents.
Beneficiary Josephine Tengori said access to fresh vegetables has improved nutrition in her household.
“Our children are now healthy because they eat fresh vegetables, and this is helping us eradicate malnutrition from our home,” Tengori said.
Another beneficiary, Alice Okwakol, said members of the women’s group are also saving money through a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) after earning income from vegetable sales.
“Our group members are able to save money into the VSLA after selling the vegetables,” Okwakol said.
Officials and residents say the Lokitumo project provides a practical model for improving food security and building resilience in Karamoja, where access to reliable water remains one of the biggest barriers to agricultural production.
