The government of Uganda has released 50 billion Ugandan shillings (about $13.5 million) from its contingency fund to mitigate the impact of bad weather including ongoing El Nino phenomenon.
The funding was announced following approval by the council of ministers on Monday. The fund is set to finance emergency food relief and other interventions in areas projected to be hardest hit by prolonged dry conditions.
Speaking to local journalists, Minister of ICT and National Guidance Justine Kasule Lumumba said the prevailing temperature outlook for July 2026 is expected to be higher than average, attributing the conditions to the ongoing El Nino phenomenon over the equatorial, central and eastern Pacific Ocean.
She said above-average temperatures forecast for July pose significant risks to livelihoods, agriculture and the broader economy, with the anticipated heat likely to reduce agricultural production, worsen food insecurity and strain water resources.
According to the minister, the situation is also expected to increase cases of heat-related illnesses, waterborne diseases and malnutrition.
The prolonged dry conditions could also reduce household incomes, fuel conflicts over scarce water and pasture, and drive up food prices, Lumumba added.
As for Lumumba, food supplies have already been mobilized through the Office of the Prime Minister for distribution to the semi-arid northeastern Karamoja region, which is expected to bear the brunt of the dry spell.
The government urged the public to conserve water, adopt supplementary irrigation where possible, and use available food supplies efficiently.
MG/as/APA