FAO moves to mitigate drought in Teso with multi-million irrigation systems

Amolatar and Katakwi, remain highly vulnerable to famine and malnutrition, driven by climate change-induced challenges like prolonged droughts and flooding.

These harsh conditions have delayed planting seasons and significantly reduced crop yields, severely impacting the livelihoods of local communities.

A recent study highlights a grim cycle of poverty and consistently low food crop and livestock production in the region, exacerbated by sharp spikes in food and essential non-food commodity prices.

According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), from June to August 2022, around 625,000 people in Teso endured severe levels of acute food insecurity, with Bukedea and Kaberamaido districts being the hardest hit.

“At the time of the assessment in July 2022, about 61% of the households were employing Crisis or worse food coping strategies and 83% were employing Crisis and Emergency livelihood coping strategies.”

Because of this,  the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with support from the Norwegian government and Global Environmental Facility (GEF) has come out to rescue the residents with irrigation systems to enable farmers do more than two seasons a year without relying on the weather.

FAO says that the reliance on weather cycles is becoming ever so volatile, with unpredictable rain patterns and longer dry spells among other changes that further strain productivity.

At least three irrigation systems have been set up in Amolatar and Katakwi.

Amolatar irrigation system:

The irrigation system in Aleble is a hydrant system with a pipe network covering 20 acres with the potential of covering more farmland through mobile hose pipes.

The irrigation practice is semi-manual, especially through use of drag hose or collecting water in a container and irrigate manually using a watering can for small fields.

Magoro irrigation system – a hydrant system with a pipe network covering 30 acres that can be extended to cover more acreage by deploying mobile hose pipes.

The irrigation practice is semi-manual, especially through use of drag hose or collecting water in a container and irrigate manually using a watering can for small fields.

Both systems are comprised of a solar water pumping unit with an attendant controller and PV-array structure, overhead storage tanks, a pipeline network, and hydrants.

Toroma Valley Tank which has been revamped to give pastoralists much-needed respite.

The new and improved valley tank can support about 1,500 cows and 1,000 small ruminants through the drought period of December to March.

Speaking to the press during the commissioning of the systems  in Amolatar, Dr. Antonio Querido, FAO Uganda Country Representative said that they are optimistic that the initiative will provide water for production to a group of farmers to aid them improve production but also nutrition.

“The climate is changing, so this irrigation system provides an opportunity for farmers to have water at the field level to be able to do more than two seasons in a year. It will help them to expand their production system, explore other crops and generate sufficient income for their livelihoods.”

“This system is weather-friendly; it uses solar power to pump water from the ground. It is a system that can be scaled to other districts and other parts of the country,” he said.

Dr Ouerido emphasized that irrigation system is the way to go to ensure that if the country is to fight famine, produce more not only for the internal market but also for the sub-region.

Each of the systems, he said can pump 10,000 litres per hour with a storage underground of 30,000-litre capacity and two tanks above – each with a 10,000-litre storage capacity.

He noted that they shall be working with farmers on the system management but also to ensure that they add value to their products so that they generate more income.

He commended the funders – the Norwegian government and Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and implored other funders to join them to ensure that they scale this irrigation system to a larger group of farmers in Uganda.

Ms Betty Angweng, one of the beneficiaries said, “We are so grateful because we know we shall benefit a lot from it. During the drought, we shall always be producing especially,vegetables which will earn us a lot.