KIKUUBE-Cattle farmers in Bunyoro Sub-region are struggling to find water and pasture for their animals, following the dry spell that has hit the area for the past three months.
The most affected farmers are from the districts of Buliisa, Hoima, Kiryandongo, Masindi and Kikuube.
The pasture has dried out and all the available valley dams have dried up leaving, cattle keepers worried.
In some districts, herdsmen have started selling off their livestock fearing that they could die soon as there is no water and enough pasture for the animals.
Jacob Kanyindo, and Godfrey Kahiigwa, cattle farmers from Kikuube district, said that if the dry spell continues, they will likely lose all of their animals. They have started selling off some of the old cows fearing that they might starve to death.
Kahiigwa said he has lost 10 cows since May due to a lack of pasture and water adding that the situation could become worse.
Benson Rugyira, a farmer in Buliisa said since April this year, he has lost 15 cows as a result due to the prolonged drought.
He said that because of the lack of water and pasture, the cows are no longer producing enough milk for sale to buy food and other essentials for their families.
Rugyira noted that he has nowhere to relocate the animals because the dry spell has hit the whole of the oil-rich Albertine region and neighbouring regions.
“If God does not intervene in this crisis, we are likely to lose all our animals,” he said.
Sam Ntambara who owns hundreds of cows at Kiryamboga landing site in Hoima is worried that his animals could all die as all the water dams that used to provide their animals with water have dried up.
He noted that they have never experienced such a long dry spell in the last ten years. “The situation is giving us sleepless nights,” he said.
“Our animals are suffering; the situation is beyond our understanding. We are just waiting on God to intervene, otherwise, we are going to lose all our animals,” he said.
Farmer Lam Karubanga who hails from Hoima district said that the situation is so bad that it is compelling them [farmers] to sell off their livestock cheaply. He says a bull that would cost Shs1.5 million is currently being sold at between Shs 700,000- Shs 800,000.
He noted that they would opt to buy feeds for their animals but that they are scarce and expensive. “Previously, whenever we could face such a dry spell, some farmers would buy rice and maize brand but because of the dry spell, the rice did not do well last season,” he said.
Emeriki Kakura the chairperson of Kasenyi village said the lack of pasture has caused conflict between the livestock farmers [herdsmen] and crops farmers [cultivators].
He noted that some cattle farmers have decided to graze their Animals in people’s gardens, fuelling conflicts that may result in bloodshed.
Barnabus Ntume, the Kikuube district production officer, said that the district authorities have no solution to the situation, adding that the current dry spell will ultimately cut the population of livestock in the region.
Ntume advised farmers to relocate the animals to areas where they can find some water and pasture, adding that those who cannot manage to relocate their animals should sell them off to avoid more losses.
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