Mubuku farmers worried over drying of crops

Kasese, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Farmers in Mubuku II Irrigation Scheme, Kasese District are facing an uncertain future as a result of their crops drying up due to contaminated water from River Nyamwamba.

The Mubuku II irrigation scheme taps water from the Nyamwamba River which due to flooding carries along copper tilting from Kilembe. Some farmers are worried that mineral components carried by waters from the River including copper and zinc will be harmful to their crops.

Muke Modesto, one of the farmers says they have recently seen crops drying up after irrigating their crops notably when the river floods upstream.  He notes that some farmers thought it was a disease outbreak in their gardens and opted to spray using pesticides but their gardens continued to dry.

Jennifer Muhoza, another farmer says the problem intensifies when there are increased water volumes in River Nyamwamba.   She appeals to the government to provide the scheme with an alternative source of water.

Jessica Kabasinguzi, an agriculture extension worker in Karusandara Sub County, says silting also remains a huge concern to farmers in the low lands with acres of crops getting destroyed since 2020.

Julius Baluku, the Kasese district production officer during a recent meeting with farmers in Mubuku, said the concern will be presented to the Ministry of Agriculture so that testing can be done to establish the impact of the water on the crops.

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