Omoro District Farmers Struggle Amid Prolonged Dry Spell

Updated by Eric Kikomeko at 1415 EAT on Tuesday 2 December 2025

An unusually prolonged dry season has left farmers in Omoro District, northern Uganda, worried about their livelihoods.

The hot, dry conditions began unexpectedly in early November and have now lasted a month, scorching crops including maize, green vegetables, sunflowers, and soybeans. Betty Adong, a farmer from Lakwana sub-county, planted two acres of maize in September and says the weather has severely disrupted her harvest.

“I was expecting my maize to grow with enough rainfall between September and December. But instead, we had too much sunshine for a whole month just when my maize was supposed to be yielding. Last year, I planted in the same month and harvested more,” Adong said.

With grazing conditions worsening, Adong says some farmers have begun letting their livestock roam freely, as green pastures capable of sustaining goats and cattle have become scarce.

Benson Omona, a farmer from Akidi sub-county, has also suffered heavy losses after his three acres of soybeans produced far below expectations.

“Last year, I planted soybeans in the same garden and harvested six bags. This year, I managed only one and a half. The loss came from too much sunshine between October and November, the months when crops should be producing enough seeds,” Omona said.

Ivan Oweka, Omoro District’s agricultural officer, said the prolonged sunshine caught many farmers by surprise, as they had not anticipated such an abrupt shift in weather patterns.

He urged farmers to pay closer attention to meteorological forecasts when planning their planting seasons.

“Most farmers plant without considering the right rainfall season or the shorter rainy periods available,” Ivan Oweka, Omoro District agricultural officer, told The Observer.

According to the Uganda National Meteorological Authority, northern Uganda is expected to receive heavy rainfall between April and July for the first planting season of 2025, and again from August to October for the second season.