CLIMATE CHANGE: HUMAN ACTIVITIES IMPACT ON THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

By Anslem Ojaru

The effects of climate change in Uganda are increasingly severe, affecting the lives of the country's citizens and its environment. It has led to extreme weather events such as unpredictable, prolonged drought and rainfall.

David Edaku the weather focal person in Arua District says Human activities have had diverse effect on climate change causing a change in weather patterns. “As the population grew, people started encroaching on forest land, on wetlands clearing these sites for farming, getting charcoal from the forest, for settlement, the whole situation got catapulted to other level. Consequently, we drained off our wetlands contributing to reduced vapor in the atmosphere dropped so low so the rainfall winds blowing from the east to west cannot be trapped to cause rainfall.” Edaku stressed

Due to the dry spell, the government of Uganda introduced the irrigation scheme to enable farmer’s carry on with their activities.

Christine Ayikoru a farmer says the scheme only favors those near water bodies “We are supposed to have irrigation but you realize the irrigation its self favors those who have land alongside the river and some farmers don’t have the capacity to afford or give that percentage of the irrigation scheme that the government brought.” She added.

Uganda's climate is mostly tropical with regular rainfall and sunshine patterns. Due to climate change effects the seasons have changed drastically.