Securing farmers’ future beyond thirsty soil
We should move from rescuing failed seasons to protecting the farmer’s capacity to produce,” Writes Dr Rosemary Seninde (PhD)
Dr Rosemary Seninde (PhD). (File)
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OPINION
By Dr Rosemary Seninde (PhD)
The current weather changes, coupled with the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East and the escalating Russia-Ukraine armed conflict, have exacerbated the economic woes of the Ugandan farmer. The aforementioned have disrupted shipping; fuel has become dearer, and fertiliser costs have risen. The rain delays and money already ‘buried’ in the soil may produce little or nothing, and behind a failed harvest are pressures of school fees, food and a family’s survival.
Before the conflicts, the Strait of Hormuz carried about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade. The current disruption has reached Uganda’s agriculture through escalated energy, transport and farm input costs. Additionally, food markets have been affected. Disrupted wheat exports can encourage buyers to seek alternatives, creating opportunities for Ugandan maize and cassava growers, but higher production and transport costs can swallow those gains.
Farmers, therefore, need more support to turn demand into income. We should move from rescuing failed seasons to protecting the farmer’s capacity to produce.
Firstly, our environment. We cannot lament drying water sources while continuing to destroy them. Wetland encroachment, deforestation and soil erosion weaken the natural foundations of farming. Trees recycle moisture back into the atmosphere while wetlands store water and regulate its flow. Wider climatic forces may also alter rainfall patterns, but environmental destruction leaves us more vulnerable to climate change’s adverse effects.
President Museveni deserves credit for persistently placing household incomes at the centre of agricultural debate. His advocacy of the Four-Acre Model links food for the home with enterprises that earn. His warnings against wetland destruction and push for irrigation reinforce this message: A farmer needs both a productive enterprise and an environment capable of sustaining it.
Water security
Secondly, water security deserves the same attention as seed distribution. In Ntungamo district in March 2025, President Museveni stated: “We must move away from relying on rain-fed agriculture.”
The NRM manifesto promises irrigation schemes, dams, tanks and solar-powered pumps for smallholders. Government’s Micro scale Irrigation Programme already provides a cost-sharing approach to equipment. District production offices must explain eligibility.
However, a pump alone does not make a farm secure. Before purchase, the farmer needs advice on water availability, crop requirements, running costs and repairs. Shared systems need clear arrangements for access and maintenance. Otherwise, expensive equipment can stand idle beside a struggling garden.
Notably, irrigation water should not be wasted on soil that cannot retain moisture. Mulching, organic matter and erosion control deserve attention alongside machinery. Crop choices and planting dates can then follow local weather advice and available water. Additionally, extension advice should help farmers calculate production costs against likely selling prices. What matters is both what we harvest and what we retain.
Legal subsidies
Uganda has an agricultural insurance subsidy scheme. Farmers need clear explanations of what policies cover, their exclusions and how claims are settled. Lenders should also consider repayment schedules aligned with harvests.
Market access
Finally, a secure harvest needs a dependable buyer. Higher production without storage, quality control or market planning can leave farmers selling desperately when everyone harvests at the same time. Farmer organisations can aggregate produce, negotiate purchases and sales, and organise shared storage.
Global disruption strengthens the case for closer African trade relationships and faster East African integration. Bilateral agreements can connect farmers to buyers, while implementing regional commitments and the African Continental Free Trade Area can widen access.
Demand for maize, cassava and other foods could grow where buyers seek alternatives to disrupted imports. This opportunity is conditional: Our produce needs competitive prices, consistent quality and reliable delivery. Easier border procedures and compatible standards can help. Larger markets become meaningful when farmers can actually supply them.
Building on government’s efforts, farmers, businesses and communities each have a part to play in turning these commitments into dependable harvests and better household incomes. Our ambition should reach beyond surviving drought to securing a livelihood from the land, even in an uncertain world.
The writer is the National Resistance Movement director for mobilisation