Nakasongola farmers are trying other farming practices to compensate for the adverse effects of drought on their pastoralism activities, but water scarcity remains a thorn in the flesh.

With the effects of climate change affecting areas in Nakasongola District, livestock farmers are now finding it difficult to feed their cattle. The place has not received rainfall in the last six months.

Mr George Mulooki, a farmer specialising in livestock farming as well as bee keeping, finds it difficult now to graze his 60 head of cattle due to the dry spell affecting the district.

Malnourished cattle. The extended long spell of a dry season has seen the most viable source of livelihood for Nakasongola farmers face severe threat as there is shortage of water and pasture for animals. PHOTO BY EPHRAIM KASOZI Livestock is the key income-earning activity for most people in the district but the prolonged dry spell, blamed on global warming, is having a toll on their livelihood.

Hailing from Kyamuyingo village, Wabumunyoni county in Nakasongola District, Muloki says although none of his cattle has died due to the dry spell, the amount of milk he usually collects from the cows has reduced a great deal. Muloki previously used to get 15 litres of milk everyday from his cows but this has been reduced to 10 litres due to shortage of pasture.

As if the dry spell is not enough, the area has only one dam that provides water for over 500 kraals. The stagnant dirty water from the dam is also the only source of water used in the households, putting the health of the people at stake.

Muloki and other cattle keepers have appealed to the government to provide better sources of water like boreholes. He has further complained of lack of a health centre for the community in the vicinity saying that the only medical centre is in Nakasongola town, is over 10km from Kyamuyingo village.

Regardless of the above challenges, Muloki has emerged as a successful livestock farmer and earns his income both from the livestock business as well as bee-keeping. A father of eight, he is struggling to raise fees for his children and the majority are now in secondary school.

After every four years, Muloki has been selling about three cows that weigh more than 200 kg. Each day he sells five litres of milk at Shs200 a litre. He has been involved in bee keeping for the last five years. And now owns 36 beehives from which he harvests every six months.

"The good thing with bee keeping is you don't give them pasture like the cattle, it is just a matter of waiting for six months and you go and harvest honey," he said. According to Muloki, he harvests over six 20-litre jerrycans every season and each jerrycan costs Shs20,000.

The only challenge he faces with bee-keeping is that during the dry season, the bees cannot easily find water and he now fetches water from the dam and puts it in small dams within the vicinity for them to drink.

Muloki is one of the many people in Nakasangola depending on this type of farming since the area is semi arid. Dr Gerald Kitaka, who heads the The National Agricultural Advisory Services (Naads) activities in the district says Nakasongola District provides beef to several districts in Northern Uganda.

He said most business people from the northern corridor flock the district in search of cattle, poultry and goats. Most people in Nakasongola are diversifying their agricultural activities to minimise the effects of drought on their incomes. Poultry rearing is one activity many farmers have adopted.

Ms Rehema Akiiki, for example of Wabigalo parish in Wabunyoni village has specialised in keeping local chicken to earn a living. She keeps between 50 to 60 local chicken and sells off 45 after every six months to clients in Kampala. Ms Akiiki started the business in 2004 with about six chicks but later increased the number after joining the Naads programme.

But with water in a distance of three kilometres, Ms Akiiki like Muloki and many farmers in Nakasongola, is affected by the dry spell. She has to walk the three kilometres to look for water to give the chicken.

To overcome the drought, Nakasongola like other parts of the country, requires urgent attention from the government, for people and their economic activities to attain their health as well as their social and economic well-being.