Hunger looms as hailstorms destroy crops in Gulu district

GULU, September 19, 2026 — Several acres of crop gardens have been destroyed by hailstorms in two separate incidents in Unyama and Palaro sub-counties in Gulu district, leaving families fearing hunger.

The two sub-counties are already experiencing severe food shortages caused by prolonged dry spells during the second planting season of 2025 and the first planting season of this year.

Justin Kidega, the LC III chairperson of Unyama Sub-county, said more than 1,000 gardens containing vegetables, cereals and trees in Agung and parts of Oding villages were destroyed by the hailstorm on Tuesday.

“The damage is too much. We carried out inspections and, in many of the gardens, there is nothing left. We estimate that more than 200 households have been affected. We are expecting serious hunger next year,” Kidega said.

Francis Joel Wokorach, the LCIII chairperson of Palaro Subcounty, said crops including beans, sorghum, maize and simsim were completely destroyed by the hailstorm that struck on Monday.

“A total of 410 households in Palaro Subcounty will need food support in the near future because they have lost all the food they expected to harvest. We are calling on the government and development partners to support our people,” Wokorach said.

Justin Obol, the Gulu district LCV Chairperson, said he had directed LCI chairpersons to compile lists of affected households for submission to the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness and Relief for emergency support.

He said the hailstorm had worsened the already precarious food situation in the two sub-counties.

“The hailstorm has worsened the already bad food situation in the two sub-counties. We are compiling a list of the affected households so that they can be submitted to the Ministry of Disaster Preparedness and Relief for support,” Obol said.

Obol added: “We have had a dry spell for a really long time. The rains just started returning three days ago, but they are now too heavy. The little food crops people have in their gardens that should have survived on the rain have now been destroyed.”

Disaster management committees

The latest incidents have highlighted the absence of an active disaster preparedness and management committee in the district.

Such a committee is intended to coordinate community safety, disaster risk reduction and emergency response.

Obol said the district disaster management committee exists but is largely inactive because of a lack of resources.

Much of the Acholi Sub-region is currently facing food shortages due to prolonged dry spells experienced towards the end of 2025 and during the first planting season of this year.

Weather forecast

In its recent weather forecast, the Ministry of Water and Environment warned of an increased risk of crop damage and yield losses due to extreme rainfall, hailstorms, strong winds and flash floods.

The September–December 2026 seasonal climate outlook says the established El Niño episode is expected to intensify during the September, October, November and December 2026 season over central, eastern and northern parts of Uganda.

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