agriculture 24 September 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Lango Ex-Combatants Seek Solutions After Drought Devastates Maize Harvest
A severe dry spell in the Lango sub-region has destroyed the maize crops of ex-combatants, threatening a government-supported agricultural project. The Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs has proposed exploring irrigation solutions to mitigate future losses. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/lango-ex-combatants-count-losses-after-dry-spell-destroys-maize-harvest-5608290
Ex-combatants in Uganda’s Lango sub-region are facing significant financial losses following a prolonged dry spell that decimated their maize harvest. The drought has jeopardized a government initiative aimed at enhancing food and feed security through commercial maize and animal feed production.
The project, a collaboration between the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs and the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, provides veterans with essential agricultural inputs like seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides. The National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) is contracted to purchase the produce after harvest.
While the program showed success in 2025, with ex-combatants supplying over 1,200 tonnes of maize to NEC, the unreliable rainfall in 2026 has been devastating. Many farmers who planted later in the first season saw their crops wither due to the lack of rain, resulting in no harvest despite substantial investment.
“We planted our crops and along the way sunshine came and most of us who planted a little late didn’t harvest anything after investing heavily in it,” stated Julius Peter Odur, chairperson of the Apac District Veterans Sacco, during a visit by Defence and Veterans Affairs Minister Huda Oleru.
Odur also appealed for additional government support, specifically requesting tractors to lower the high costs associated with land preparation and boost overall production.
Minister Oleru acknowledged the challenges and announced that the government would investigate the feasibility of introducing irrigation systems. She urged local governments to identify suitable large tracts of land, ideally 100 acres or more, for the potential installation of irrigation infrastructure in partnership with relevant ministries.
“The local government must help these veterans they must get big land at least 100 acres and above so that we work with the ministry of water and ministry of agriculture to install them irrigation system,” Oleru said.
The minister also advised veterans to adopt recommended farming practices and utilize disease-resistant seed varieties to improve crop resilience. The government plans to continue providing training on better agricultural methods.