The Speaker of Parliament, Annet Anita Among, has tasked the Committee on Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries to undertake a study on the status of valley dams and irrigation schemes across Uganda.

The directive was given during the plenary sitting on Tuesday, 28 November following the committee assessment of water for agriculture facilities in Karamoja and Teso sub-regions.

“Teso and Karamoja are a small portion of the country. You have left out the cattle corridor which is affected. All these issues are true and the minister [Agriculture] cannot deny it,” Among said in reaction to the recommendations contained in a report presented by the Chairperson, Janet Okori-Moe.

The report indicated that the team inspected eight valley dams in five districts of the Karamoja sub-region, and six irrigation schemes in four districts of the Teso sub-region.

Karamoja covering an area of 27,528km comprises of Kotido, Kaabong, Karenga, Nabilatuk, Abim Moroto,Napak, Amudat and Nakapiripirit districts.

The neighbouring Teso has: Amuria, Bukedea, Kaberamaido, Kapelebyong, Katakwi, Kumi, Ngora, Serere and Soroti districts. 

On Tuesday, Okori-Moe's committee observed that most of the agriculture facilities were facing land disputes which has caused delays in developing the projects. 

“Kosike Valley Dam in Amudat District is not yet complete and construction works have stalled. Construction started in June 2022 but has stalled since December 2022 due to lack of involvement of local leaders and demand for compensation by the landowners,” Okori-Moe said.

In Bukedea District, the committee noted that project implementation of the Acomai Irrigation Scheme was slow, standing at 30 per cent progress, in contrast to the finance ministry’s report that works had reached 47 per cent by July 2023.

“The rate at which water for agricultural production facilities is degenerating is high due to poor construction, poor maintenance by the community and lack of handover of facilities by responsible ministries,” said Okori-Moe.

The Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries, Frank Tumwebaze, attributed the delays in the completion and handover of valley dams and irrigation schemes, to limited budgetary allocations for the purpose.

“Our development budget for the ministry ranges between sh90b to sh130b for the whole country. Water for agriculture gets 60 per cent of that budget which comes in quarters,” Tumwebaze noted.

He also said that valley dams and irrigation schemes under construction will be fenced off and handed over to the respective local governments.