Climate Change Impact: Erratic Rainfall and Prolonged Droughts
The traditional two-season rainfall pattern that Ugandan farmers have relied on for generations has become highly unpredictable. We are experiencing shorter, more intense rainy seasons that often lead to flash floods, followed by extended periods of drought. This is a classic example of how climate change manifests as extreme weather events, directly threatening the agricultural sector. The seasons are "turned around," with both shorter or longer rains and significantly harsher droughts being observed.
Specific Challenges Presented by this Issue
This erratic climate presents several critical challenges for our communities:
Food Insecurity and Livelihood Loss: The primary challenge is the reduction in food production. Droughts lead to crop failures and insufficient water for livestock, directly translating into food insecurity, especially in the most vulnerable rural areas. Since agriculture is the main source of income, this also causes significant economic loss and pushes more people into poverty.
Water Scarcity: Beyond agriculture, the prolonged dry spells deplete water sources, leading to scarcity for domestic use and sanitation. This increases the burden on women and children who often have to travel longer distances to fetch water, and it also contributes to health challenges.
Increased Vulnerability to other disasters: The combination of drought and subsequent intense rainfall can lead to other disasters. For instance, prolonged dry periods can loosen soil, making certain regions, particularly in the mountainous areas, more susceptible to devastating landslides when the heavy rains finally arrive.
Community Adaptation and Response
Our community and the government are responding to these challenges through a combination of national policy and grassroots initiatives:
National Adaptation Planning: At the government level, Uganda is actively developing a National Adaptation Plan (NAP) to strengthen resilience to climate change impacts. This process involves carrying out climate risk assessments and developing district-level adaptation strategies to mainstream climate insights into development planning.
Promotion of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA): There is a strong push to move away from traditional rain-fed methods toward CSA. This includes promoting the use of drought-resistant crop varieties, early-maturing seeds, and improved water harvesting techniques, such as constructing small-scale valley tanks and check dams. Organizations are also enabling farmers to access real-time weather information to make better planting decisions.
Community-Led Initiatives: At the local level, communities are reviving and adopting traditional knowledge systems for water management and soil conservation. We see increased efforts in terracing on sloped land to prevent soil erosion during intense rains and the communal management of shared water resources to ensure equitable access during dry spells. Furthermore, some communities are diversifying their income sources away from solely relying on rain-fed crops to build economic resilience.