The cattle in Karamoja have survived generations of drought and hardship. The question now is whether they can survive a changing climate NEWS ANALYSIS | PATRICIA AKANKWATSA | Before sunrise, Christine Jemkeia walks towards the Akura Oyan Dam in eastern Uganda’s Amudat District, following a routine that has …
Read More »Uganda reports 16 deaths linked to drought-induced food shortages
Moroto, Uganda | Xinhua | At least 16 people have died from acute food shortages caused by prolonged drought in Uganda’s semi-arid northeastern Karamoja region, the country’s Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) said on Thursday. In a statement issued in Kampala, Alex Kakooza, permanent secretary at the OPM, said …
Read More »KITGUM: 85% fish farmers quit aquaculture due to expensive feeds and drought
Kitgum, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Eighty-five percent of fish farmers in Kitgum District have abandoned their fishponds in recent seasons, as the high cost of commercial fish feed and prolonged heat make aquaculture economically unviable. Alfred Omony, the Kitgum District Fisheries Officer, told Uganda Radio Network (URN) that the …
Read More »DROUGHT: Kasese district lost 700 cows due to shortage of water in 2024
Kasese, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kasese District lost up to 700 cows in 2024 due to excessive drought, according to the District Veterinary Officer (DVO), Dr. Yusuf Kibaya. The hardest-hit areas include Nyakatonzi, Karusandara, Lake Katwe, and Katwe-Kabatoro Town Council. Dr. Kibaya revealed that over 3,000 cattle have succumbed …
Read More »East African bloc unveils new tool to improve drought monitoring
NAIROBI, Nairobi | Xinhua | The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an East African bloc, on Wednesday launched a new tool to improve monitoring and response to climate change-induced droughts. Dubbed the “Enhanced East African Drought Watch,” the innovative tool is expected to revolutionize drought forecasting in the region and …
Read More »Drought scorches over 10,000 acres of crops in Moroto
Moroto, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Farmers in Moroto district counting losses following the prolonged dry spell that has destroyed crops in the gardens. An estimated 10,000 acres of various crops such as maize, sorghum, bean, sunflower and groundnuts has been ruined by the drought that started in mid June and …
Read More »UN agency says over 9.5 mln livestock died across drought-affected HOA countries
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Xinhua | At least 9.5 million livestock have died across the drought-affected Horn of Africa (HOA) countries of Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has disclosed. “Over 9.5 million livestock have died since the drought started, eroding the primary source of livelihood, income, …
Read More »FAO seeks funds to ramp up humanitarian response in Somalia
Mogadishu, Somalia | Xinhua | The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said Monday it urgently requires additional funding to ramp up humanitarian response in Somalia, which is facing a devastating drought in 40 years. The FAO said while humanitarian assistance has prevented worse outcomes and staved …
Read More »Multinational researchers find genes associated with drought tolerance of wheat
Jerusalem, Israel | Xinhua | A multinational research team identified a cluster of genes in common wheat that regulate root growth, which may be significant for culturing drought-resistant types, the University of Haifa (UH) in northern Israel said Wednesday. Reaserchers from China, the United States, Argentina and Israel found that wheat …
Read More »UN says 22.6 mln Ethiopians food insecure due to drought, conflict, rising food prices
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | Xinhua | About 22.6 million people in Ethiopia are food insecure due to a combination of drought, conflict and increase in food prices, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) has warned. The UNOCHA said in its latest situation update issued late Thursday that …
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