Analyzing the implications of drought on food security in Nakasongola District
Abstract
This study was about analyzing the implications of drought on food security in Nakasongola
district aimed at exploring community perceptions on drought occurrence, perceptions on food
security status, and relationship between drought occurrence and food security in Nakasongola
District.
Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Analysis was done using SPSS.
Descriptive statistics was done to examine the research objectives.
From the findings, majority (61.5%) of the respondents agreed that there was drought in
Nakasongola district, with 80.5% saying these droughts take at least 6 months annually.
Deforestation and burning of fossil fuels (45%) was the major cause of drought, other causes
being overgrazing (20%), Bush fires (15%), not enlightened to modern farming methods (12%)
and poor farming methods (8%). The examined measures of drought were explained by 36.5%
(R-square = 0.365) of the variation in food security in Nakasongola district.
The study concluded that, the local community members perceive droughts as a significant
challenge that has been increasing due to the above mentioned causes as well as climate patterns,
with return periods of up to 4 years in Nakasongola and the existence of drought has had
negative effect on the crop production.
The study recommended that, the government should Continue with the sensitization of Climate
Change with clear emphasis on the causes of drought e.g. deforestation, overgrazing, and bush
fire, improve on the timing of distribution of support from the FISP (Farmer Input Subsidy
Program), employ more extension officers, build offices nearer to farmers this will help bridge
the interaction gap between MoA and the smallholder farmers, consider improved water resource
management; water harvesting, dams and supply of irrigation equipment.