Drought-hit Kotido farmers receive storage kits to protect scarce harvests

KOTIDO, October 28, 2026 – Farmers in Kotido district have received improved crop storage equipment to reduce post-harvest losses as a prolonged drought continues to threaten food security and livelihoods in the Karamoja Sub-region.

The Warrior Squad Foundation [WSF], in partnership with Oxfam in Uganda, has distributed Purdue Improved Crop Storage [PICS] bags and heavy-duty tarpaulins to 11 agro-pastoral Farmer Field School groups in Napumpum and Kapeta sub-counties.

The distribution, conducted under the Karamoja Agro-Pastoral Resilience and Empowerment Project [KAREP], benefited six farmer groups in Napumpum and five in Kapeta.

The intervention is intended to help vulnerable farming households preserve their limited harvests, reduce food losses and strengthen their resilience against worsening climatic conditions.

Napumpum is among the areas hardest hit by the 2026 drought, which has severely affected crop production and livestock farming, leaving many households struggling to access sufficient food.

Poor rainfall has resulted in widespread crop failure, while shortages of water and pasture have contributed to livestock deaths, further undermining household incomes and food security.

Local reports indicate that Global Acute Malnutrition [GAM] rates in parts of Napumpum have reached 40 per cent, significantly exceeding the 15 per cent threshold commonly used to indicate a critical nutrition situation.

Across Kotido District, an estimated 45 to 60 per cent of the population is reportedly experiencing Crisis-level food insecurity [IPC Phase 3] or worse, with hunger-related deaths also reported in Napumpum and neighbouring sub-counties.

The situation has been compounded by poor post-harvest handling practices, which continue to deprive farmers of a significant proportion of their already limited produce.

Estimates attributed to the African Postharvest Losses Information System [APHLIS] and the Food and Agriculture Organisation [FAO] suggest that farmers in Karamoja lose between 20 and 30 per cent of their crops after harvesting, largely because of inadequate drying and storage facilities.

Traditionally, many farmers dry their grain on bare ground, exposing it to moisture, dirt, birds and livestock. Poor storage facilities also leave harvested crops vulnerable to weevils, rodents and mould.

These challenges often force farmers to sell their produce immediately after harvesting, when market prices are low, only to purchase food at higher prices during periods of scarcity.

The newly distributed equipment is expected to address some of these challenges by improving grain drying and storage practices.

The heavy-duty tarpaulins will provide farmers with clean surfaces for drying their crops, while the PICS bags will enable them to store grain for longer periods without using chemical pesticides.

Each PICS bag has three layers, comprising two inner plastic liners and a woven outer layer. When properly sealed, the bags create airtight conditions that suppress insect activity and protect stored grain from pest damage.

The bags, which can hold up to 100 kilogrammes of grain, can also be reused for several seasons if handled carefully.

Speaking during the distribution, farmers welcomed the intervention, saying inadequate storage facilities had previously forced them to lose or sell their produce prematurely.

Gloria Hope Eden, one of the beneficiaries, said the equipment would help farmers protect their harvests despite the challenges posed by prolonged drought and limited resources.

“Farming in a region battered by climate change is already a daily heartbreak, but watching the little harvest you managed to salvage rot away or get eaten by pests because you lack proper storage is a double tragedy,” Eden said.

“We simply do not have the resources to buy expensive metal silos. These PICS bags and tarpaulins are a true blessing; they give us hope that our sweat will actually feed our families instead of going to waste.”

Another farmer, Micheal Lochu, said the lack of proper storage facilities had often compelled households to sell their grain immediately after harvesting, leaving them vulnerable to food shortages later in the year.

“In the past, without tarpaulins and safe bags, we were forced to sell our grain immediately after harvest for peanuts just to keep it from spoiling, only to starve later in the year,” Lochu said.

“This aid changes everything. We can now store our food safely and securely.”

Kenson Koget, another beneficiary, said the storage equipment would help farmers minimise losses caused by pests and preserve food for household consumption.

“When you have limited resources and the weather refuses to cooperate, losing a third of your harvest to rats and weevils feels unbearable,” Koget said.

“With these airtight bags keeping our grain safe without chemicals, we finally have a fighting chance against hunger.”

According to WSF, the intervention is expected to reduce post-harvest losses among the supported farmer groups from the current estimated 20–30 percent to between 5 and 10 percent.

This means a household harvesting 100 kilogrammes of grain could retain between 90 and 95 kilogrammes, compared with 70–80 kilogrammes under existing storage practices.

The additional grain could help households meet their food needs during lean seasons, provide seed for subsequent planting seasons or generate higher incomes when sold at more favourable market prices.

The equipment was distributed through Farmer Field Schools to promote collective learning, resource sharing and improved post-harvest management practices.

Under this arrangement, farmers will share tarpaulins and acquire practical skills in grain drying, handling and storage to minimise losses.

Before the handover, field staff and group members verified and counted the materials to ensure fair distribution among the beneficiary groups.

Peter Owani, WSF’s Business Development and Communications Officer, said the intervention formed part of the organisation’s broader efforts to strengthen the resilience of agro-pastoral communities against recurring droughts, food insecurity and malnutrition.

He said improving post-harvest management was particularly important in Karamoja, where erratic rainfall and prolonged dry spells continue to undermine agricultural production and household livelihoods.

Owani also commended Oxfam in Uganda for its continued partnership in implementing KAREP and praised members of the Farmer Field Schools in Napumpum and Kapeta for actively participating in initiatives aimed at improving their livelihoods.

He said WSF remained committed to supporting vulnerable communities to overcome poverty, strengthen their economic resilience and improve household food security.

https://thecooperator.news/kotido-pushes-farmer-led-irrigation-to-boost-food-security/

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