government has extended irrigation water to farmers in Bukomansimbi District under a Shs2.78 billion project aimed at boosting agricultural production, reducing crop losses caused by prolonged drought and improving household incomes.
The Ministry of Water and Environment, in partnership with Foam Consultants, has implemented water supply interventions in selected communities in Butenga and Kitanda sub-counties, where farmers have struggled with unreliable rainfall and prolonged dry spells.
Bukomansimbi relies heavily on agriculture, particularly coffee farming. However, prolonged drought has affected production, leaving some farmers counting losses as crops dry up due to inadequate water supplies.
Under the project, irrigation water has been extended to Makoomi, Kiwenjula and Lwemiriti villages, while residents of Kyankoole and Kagologolo have received piped water for domestic use.
The initiative is expected to enable farmers to grow crops throughout the year, diversify agricultural production and reduce their dependence on seasonal rainfall.
Bukomansimbi District Agricultural Engineer Kaawo Mubarak Kawere said the three irrigation schemes have a combined water storage capacity of 120,000 litres and can support irrigation on approximately 36 acres of farmland.
However, Kawere said additional storage facilities would be necessary to expand the schemes and accommodate more farmers.
“If we want to increase the area under irrigation, we must also increase the water storage capacity,” Kawere said.
He added that expanding storage infrastructure would be critical to ensuring that more farmers benefit from the project.
Alex Rusisha of the Ministry of Water and Environment said the government was committed to improving access to water in Bukomansimbi District and other areas experiencing shortages.
He said the ministry was considering a multipurpose bulk water supply system that would transfer water from areas with abundant supplies, including Lake Victoria, to communities facing scarcity.
“We are focusing on a multipurpose bulk water supply system. Under this arrangement, we intend to transfer water from areas where it is abundant, including Lake Victoria, to areas where it is scarce,” Rusisha said.
He added that the ministry planned to conduct studies to determine how water could be transported in bulk to benefit Bukomansimbi, Kalungu, Lwengo and Masaka districts.
The proposed intervention could improve access to water for domestic consumption and agricultural production across the Greater Masaka sub-region, where some communities continue to experience shortages, particularly during prolonged dry spells.
Mariam Nakakande, a consultant with the Ministry of Water and Environment, said irrigation would enable farmers to grow crops throughout the year, regardless of changes in rainfall patterns.
She urged farmers to study market demand and seasonal price fluctuations before deciding which crops to grow to maximise their earnings.
Nakakande cautioned farmers against concentrating on crops that are already in plentiful supply during peak seasons, saying this could lead to lower prices and reduced profits.
“Farmers should study the market and understand peak and off-peak seasons. For example, if many farmers are growing watermelons and tomatoes during the rainy season, you can choose to grow something different because you have access to water throughout the year,” Nakakande said.
She encouraged farmers to use irrigation as an opportunity to diversify their crops, improve productivity and make informed decisions based on market conditions.
Bukomansimbi South Member of Parliament Hassan Mukiibi Sserunjoji urged residents to put political differences aside and embrace government development programmes intended to improve their livelihoods.
He said political divisions should not prevent communities from benefiting from public services and development initiatives.
“Some people are not paying attention to government programmes because one identifies with the Democratic Party, another with the FDC, and another with the NUP. They then label every government programme as belonging to the NRM,” Sserunjoji said.
“I want to inform my people that the government belongs to the people; it does not belong to the NRM. The NRM is a political party, but the Government of Uganda serves the entire country. Let us put politics aside, unite and embrace development,” he added.
The legislator called on residents to cooperate with government agencies and support initiatives aimed at addressing challenges affecting their communities.
Farmers who have benefited from the irrigation project welcomed the intervention, saying access to water had enabled them to diversify their agricultural activities and grow crops that generate income within shorter periods.
They said reliable water supplies could help them reduce the risks associated with unpredictable rainfall and sustain agricultural production throughout the year.
However, residents in other parts of the district, including Bigasa Sub-county, said they continued to experience water shortages.
They appealed to the Ministry of Water and Environment to extend similar interventions to their communities, saying this would enable more farmers to benefit from irrigation while improving access to water for domestic use.
Bigasa Sub-county Councillor Jovans Mwebaze called for the expansion of water supply interventions to reach communities that had not yet benefited from the programme.
Meanwhile, Butenga Sub-county Councillor Claudia Nandawula urged residents to embrace commercial farming and proper food storage to prepare for prolonged dry spells and other unpredictable weather conditions.
She said farmers needed to adopt practices that would help them maintain food supplies and protect their incomes during periods of poor rainfall.
The expansion of irrigation infrastructure is expected to play an important role in strengthening agricultural resilience in Bukomansimbi, where farming remains a major source of livelihood for many households.
However, extending the project to more communities and ensuring adequate water storage will be critical to increasing its reach and sustaining agricultural production during prolonged dry spells.