Micro-Scale Irrigation Program Encourages Farmers to Combat Climate Change

In Kayunga District, Uganda, small-scale farmers are being urged to move away from rain-fed farming due to climate change impacts, such as prolonged droughts and floods, and adopt micro-scale irrigation to boost crop yields. The call was made by Ms. Mariam Kaberuka, the deputy Resident District Commissioner, during a micro-scale irrigation programme exhibition funded by the World Bank under UGIFT.
The programme aims to help farmers purchase irrigation equipment, with costs shared between the farmers and the government. Currently, farmers pay 25% of the cost, while the government covers the remaining 75%. However, many farmers struggle with their share, and Ms. Zubeda Namwanje, the district’s senior agricultural engineer, recommended reducing the farmers’ contribution to 5% to encourage participation.
Ms. Kaberuka emphasized the need for commercial agriculture and warned against subdividing land, which hampers mechanization and productivity. The exhibition also featured local farmers and irrigation equipment suppliers showcasing their products. The programme has registered 654 farmers in the district, but only 116 have received irrigation equipment due to financial constraints. The overarching goal is to modernize agriculture and enhance productivity in the region.