HOIMA: Farmers in Hoima District are mitigating climate change effects on their crop production by using the microscale irrigation program to ensure productivity through the year.

Paul Mubangizi a farmer in Kitegwa B, Kabale parish in Kabale sub county, Hoima district is one of the 28 farmers who are benefiting from microscale irrigation projects supported Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfer Program-UgiFT with funding from the world bank in the 2024/2025 financial year.

‘‘There is a big change. I was depending on rain-fed agriculture but it had challenges like the last year drought which left almost the whole of my coffee plantation dry at its early stage. However, when I got irrigation system on my farm, I have increased my acreage of coffee from 2.5 acres to 5 acres now’’ Mubangizi says.

He urges farmers in the district to embrace microscale irrigation if they are to remain in commercial production.

‘‘I can give a testimony that after getting guidance from the agriculture extension worker, I raised about 5.7 Million shillings as part of the co-funding of the whole project which was about 23 million shillings. I expect to harvest a lot because my coffee is doing well. I don’t fear the risk of drought because I have the irrigation system installed on my farm’’ Mubangyizi adds.

Mbabazi Deogratius another farmer in Isokoma Village, Kitorogya parish in Buhanika sub county says that microscale irrigation is a game changer in agriculture production.

I contributed about 10 Million shillings as part of the co-funding for this irrigation system. I am using it to irrigate my newly planted coffee, vegetables and other crops on my farm. The system has assisted me very much as you can see water is available and solar-powered’’

On Friday, Hoima district local government commissioned 28 microscale irrigation projects benefiting 28 farmers across the district. The commissioning of the projects was presided over by the Hoima Resident District Commissioner who was represented by the Assistant RDC, Shafih Ntuuyo.

The Senior Agriculture Engineer for Hoima, Mathew Mpeeka says under the program, farmers are supported to purchase and use microscale irrigation equipment under the co-funding modality.

In Hoima district, the government contributed 487 million shillings while farmers co-funded 186 million shillings in the 2024/2025 financial year.

‘‘28 farmers have been supported to purchase and use microscale irrigation equipment, over 70 acres of irrigated agriculture achieved and over 300 farmers have been trained in agronomy and irrigated agriculture’’ Mpeeka said.

Godfrey Kayongo the Senior Agriculture Officer for Hoima district says that all farmers benefiting from the microscale irrigation project have also been supported with fertilizers provided by the Ministry of Agriculture.

‘‘We supported the farmers with fertilizers at a free cost. You can see the farmers are using the fertilizers in their coffee plantation. We don’t expect the farmers to suffer with the drought because they have the irrigation systems installed in their farms. We want to urge farmers to have proper sanitation of their fields in order to increase on their quality and quantity of their yields’’ Kayongo said.

While commissioning the microscale irrigation projects, the Hoima RDC said that people should embrace the projects which will help them improve on their agriculture productivity.

‘‘I want to commend Hoima district for coming up with such projects. This shows that people are embracing government projects. These projects should be supported in order to improve on agriculture production’’ Ntuuyo said.

The Hoima Chief Administrative Officer who was represented by Senior Assistant Secretary Brian Atugonza says there is need to protect the environment more especially the wetlands for sustainable use of irrigation.

‘‘We are urging people to protect the wetlands. Instead of using them for unfriendly activities, people should use the water for irrigation to boost production. Destruction of wetlands will leave farmers with no choice of getting water for irrigation’’ Atugonza said.

Hillary Tumusiime the secretary for social services says that microscale irrigation project should be scaled down to many farmers in order to boost agriculture which doesn’t depend on nature.

‘‘We want to see many other farmers enrolled and supported to get irrigation systems. People are working hard but there are some challenges like drought but if they are supported with irrigation systems, they will be assured of making some harvests. I also want people to start using the services of agriculture extension workers’’ Tumusiime said.

The government of Uganda through the ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries is implementing the UgiFT microscale irrigation in 135 districts across the country.