news 29 October 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)

Ugandan Families Struggle as High Food Prices Hit Households

Rising food prices driven by prolonged dry spells and inflation have forced households across Uganda to drastically rethink their spending. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/high-prices-leave-families-struggling-to-secure-food-5649882

Families across Uganda are finding it increasingly difficult to put food on the table as surging prices cripple household budgets. Staple items that were once affordable for almost everyone, such as beans and maize, have seen dramatic price increases, putting basic nutrition out of reach for many low-income earners.

While farmers had initially anticipated a bumper harvest during the first planting season, an unrelenting four-month dry spell across most parts of the country devastated agricultural output. Crops like maize, beans, and groundnuts withered before they could mature, leading to severely depressed harvests and subsequent supply shortages in local markets.

This agricultural shock has coincided with broader economic pressures. Official data indicates that overall inflation rose to 4 percent in July and climbed further to 4.7 percent in September, heavily propelled by soaring costs for food crops, fuel, transport, and utilities. Meanwhile, a weakening local currency against the US dollar has compounded the crisis, driving up the cost of imported goods and regional transport.

Low-income earners are bearing the heaviest brunt of these combined challenges. Many households have been forced to cut back on meals, reduce dietary diversity, and reallocate meager funds away from other essential needs just to afford basic food items.