KATAKWI, Uganda — Hundreds of households in Katakwi District are struggling to put food on the table as prolonged drought, repeated crop failures and hailstorms worsen food shortages, with some families surviving on one meal a day or relying on porridge.
The food crisis is affecting vulnerable households across the district’s 20 sub-counties, where dwindling food stocks and rising prices are making it increasingly difficult for families to afford basic meals.
Jorem Paul Obelamo, a resident of Alengo in Ngariam Sub-county, said some households are struggling to secure even one meal a day.
Residents are calling for immediate government food assistance, alongside longer-term measures to help them withstand recurring drought and crop failures.
They want the government to provide solar-powered irrigation systems and distribute drought-resistant and fast-maturing crops such as sorghum, maize, green grams and cowpeas.
They are also calling for demonstration farms at the sub-county level to train farmers in modern and commercial agricultural practices.
The food shortage is also affecting schools.
James Stephen Engole, head teacher of St. Stephen Secondary School, said rising food prices were making it increasingly difficult for schools to provide meals to students.
He described the situation as a serious challenge requiring a sustained government response.
Vice President Maj. Rtd. Jessica Rose Alupo and the Katakwi District woman Member of Parliament have urged residents to preserve the food they have harvested rather than selling it unnecessarily.
Alupo advised households to sell only part of their harvest and keep enough for consumption as they wait for government intervention.
She also urged residents to protect the environment to improve their resilience to unpredictable weather patterns.
Alupo cautioned against widespread tree cutting and wetland degradation, saying environmental destruction can worsen the effects of changing weather patterns. She encouraged residents to embrace practices such as afforestation.
Authorities have similarly urged residents to conserve the little food harvested during the first crop season as the district continues to face food insecurity.
Residents, however, say emergency food relief must be accompanied by sustainable interventions, including irrigation, access to improved seeds and farmer training, to reduce Katakwi’s vulnerability to drought and recurring crop failures.
