Rainy season starts, farmers told to plant
Mar 17, 2006
THE long-awaited rainy season has begun around Lake Victoria and southwestern Uganda.<br>The Ministry of Agriculture is advising farmers to start planting crops.
By Gerald TenywaTHE long-awaited rainy season has begun around Lake Victoria and southwestern Uganda.
The Ministry of Agriculture is advising farmers to start planting crops.
The weather report released last week by the Meteorology department said the last rainy season ended in October instead of November, setting up a long dry spell in the country.
However, in some cattle corridor districts, the rainy season that begun this month will not provide the expected amounts of rainfall.
“We expect the farmers in the cattle corridor districts to plant faster maturing crops immediately,’’ said Samuel Senkunda, a weather expert.
He said northern and the northeastern rainy season would begin in April to October and would only be interrupted around June-July.
The March-May seasonal rainfall forecast released after the Eastern Africa regional Climate Outlook Forum in Nairobi, Kenya (March 1-3) said parts of the cattle corridor might get below average rains.
“The region is experiencing outbreaks of showers and thunderstorms marking the onset of steady rains. These rains are expected to intensify with a peak occurring around mid-April,’’ the report said.
The rains are expected to stop in late May and early June for Mubende, Luweero, Nakasongola, Sembabule, western Masaka and Rakai.
But most parts of the region will have high chances of receiving near normal rainfall with a tendency of below normal, the report added.
Samuel Magezi, an expert in meteorology, said the country got the least amount of rainfall last year.
Magezi said droughts were becoming more frequent and intense with the last three decades, accounting for half of the drought incidences experienced within the last century.
He was speaking at a one-day workshop for climate information users and presentation of the March to May 2006 Seasonal rainfall forecast that was organised by the department of meteorology at Colline Hotel Mukono last week.
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The Ministry of Agriculture is advising farmers to start planting crops.
The weather report released last week by the Meteorology department said the last rainy season ended in October instead of November, setting up a long dry spell in the country.
However, in some cattle corridor districts, the rainy season that begun this month will not provide the expected amounts of rainfall.
“We expect the farmers in the cattle corridor districts to plant faster maturing crops immediately,’’ said Samuel Senkunda, a weather expert.
He said northern and the northeastern rainy season would begin in April to October and would only be interrupted around June-July.
The March-May seasonal rainfall forecast released after the Eastern Africa regional Climate Outlook Forum in Nairobi, Kenya (March 1-3) said parts of the cattle corridor might get below average rains.
“The region is experiencing outbreaks of showers and thunderstorms marking the onset of steady rains. These rains are expected to intensify with a peak occurring around mid-April,’’ the report said.
The rains are expected to stop in late May and early June for Mubende, Luweero, Nakasongola, Sembabule, western Masaka and Rakai.
But most parts of the region will have high chances of receiving near normal rainfall with a tendency of below normal, the report added.
Samuel Magezi, an expert in meteorology, said the country got the least amount of rainfall last year.
Magezi said droughts were becoming more frequent and intense with the last three decades, accounting for half of the drought incidences experienced within the last century.
He was speaking at a one-day workshop for climate information users and presentation of the March to May 2006 Seasonal rainfall forecast that was organised by the department of meteorology at Colline Hotel Mukono last week.
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