Bunyoro farmers urged to diversify as climate change effects intensify
Justine Atugonza, a farmer and resident of Burungu village in Kitoba subcounty in Hoima district, said many farmers incurred losses last year due to unreliable rainfall.
MADFA SACCO farmer members attend during their meeting. (Credit: Peter Abaanabasazi)
BUNYORO - Farmers in the Bunyoro region have been urged to diversify their enterprises in order to boost household incomes as the effects of climate change continue to affect agricultural productivity.
Bob Muzoola, chief executive officer of Masindi District Farmers Association Savings and Credit Cooperative Society Limited, said that climate change has made farmers increasingly vulnerable to losses due to unreliable rainfall, which in turn affects income generation.
He advised farmers to move away from relying on a single crop such as maize, beans or sugarcane and instead adopt multiple farming activities on their land to improve income stability and sustainability.
He noted that farmers can engage in poultry, piggery, goat rearing and vegetable growing to ensure they have alternative sources of income in case maize or beans are affected by drought.
Muzoola made the remarks on February 28, 2026, while addressing SACCO members during their pre-annual general meeting held at a public primary school in Hoima city.
“If farmer with different enterprises, will not suffer like a farmer depending on Single enterprise, if you grow maize which take four months, you can also green that take one month, engage in poultry, or piggery realign, when the maize gets hit by drought, you will sell chicken or a pig and get money, pay for school fees, or pay for your loan, as SACCO if we see that you were hit by drought but you have been paying your loan, we can give you a top-up to go and prepare for another season,” he advised.
His advice followed concerns raised by some MADFA SACCO members, who said they were being severely affected by climate change.
Justine Atugonza, a farmer and resident of Burungu village in Kitoba subcounty in Hoima district, said many farmers incurred losses last year due to unreliable rainfall.
“Last year, I planted 10 acres of maize after acquiring a loan, but her gardens were hit by prolonged drought; I did not harvest anything, and now I am struggling to pay the loan,” she said.
Bob Muzoola, chief executive officer of Masindi District Farmers Association Savings and Credit Cooperative Society Limited (MADFA SACCO), addressing members. (Credit: Peter Abaanabasazi)
Amelia Nakazibwe, the risk and compliance manager at MDFA, said that both Season One and Season Two last year negatively affected most farmers.
She noted that several farmers are unable to repay loans due to the prolonged drought that destroyed their crops.
As a result, the society’s profitability declined from sh231 million in 2024 to sh14 million in 2025, largely due to increased loan loss provisioning expenses.
Nakazibwe further said that the society is partnering with an agro-consortium insurance company to support farmers by covering losses in the event of drought.
She urged farmers to embrace crop insurance to cushion themselves against losses caused by unreliable rains linked to climate change.
MADFA SACCO has 9,287 members, most of whom are farmers engaged in maize production, sugarcane growing, beans, soybean and coffee farming, among other enterprises.