Kotido’s PDM Farmers Struggle as Drought Persists.

Koryang Mary a farmer showcasing her vegetable garden that has been affected

By Richard Onapatum | Kotido, Uganda — July 2025

At dawn in Losilang Subcounty, the cracked earth crunches underfoot as Koryang Mary walks past rows of withered sorghum. The rain came a week ago—but the land, like the people, remains parched. In Kotido District, the return of rain has not brought relief. Instead, it has exposed a deeper crisis: the fragility of rural livelihoods in the face of climate change.

Despite scattered showers across Karamoja, PDM-supported farmers are watching their crops fail, their animals weaken, and their hopes dry up.

“We planted when the rains came, but the soil was already too tired. The seeds didn’t sprout,” Koryang says. “Now we are watching the skies again, but it’s too late.”

The Parish Development Model (PDM) was launched to empower Uganda’s rural poor by supporting farmers at the parish level with inputs, training, and revolving funds. In Kotido, hundreds of farmers joined groups, received seeds, and planted with hope. But the climate had other plans.

According to the Kotido Drought Bulletin, water pans and rivers remain dry, and over 90% of households rely on boreholes. Pasture is scarce, and livestock diseases are rising. Crops like sorghum and maize have withered before maturity.

“The rain came too little, too late,” says Christine Lokiru, the district’s Natural Resource Officer. “We’re seeing a pattern of flash rains followed by long dry spells. It’s not enough to sustain crops.”

**PDM Farmers Left in Limbo**

For farmers like Akiru Rose in Rengen Subcounty, the disappointment is personal.

“We were told this was our chance to rise. We formed a group, got seeds, and planted. But the rains stopped after two weeks. Now we have nothing to show.”

Many PDM groups had planned to repay their revolving funds through harvest sales. With failed crops, loan repayment is uncertain, and some groups fear being blacklisted.

“We’re not lazy,” Rose adds. “We just need the weather to work with us.”

**Climate, Mismanagement, and Missed Opportunities**

The crisis is not just about rainfall. It’s about climate change, poor infrastructure, and weak food storage practices. According to Kotido RDC Charles Ichogor, some farmers sold off their entire harvest last year, leaving nothing for the lean season.

“We had a bumper harvest in some areas, but people sold everything. Now they’re starving,” Ichogor said. “We need to teach food security, not just farming.”

Meanwhile, valley dam projects meant to support irrigation have stalled, with some never progressing beyond the groundbreaking ceremony due to compensation disputes and alleged corruption.

**Women and Youth Hit Hardest**

The burden falls heavily on women and youth, who make up the majority of Kotido’s farming labor force. Many are now migrating to neighboring districts like Abim and Otuke in search of food and work.

“We are not leaving because we want to,” says Nakiru Lorot, a mother of three waiting at the Kotido bus park. “We are leaving because hunger is chasing us away.”

**Seeds of Hope**

Despite the setbacks, some farmers are adapting. In Longaroe Subcounty, a group of women supported by Mercy Corps and NARWOA have started kitchen gardens using compost and water-saving techniques. Their small plots are green, even as the fields around them remain barren.

“We can’t control the rain,” says Maria Lokiru, one of the group leaders. “But we can change how we farm.”

**Conclusion: A Call to Action**

Kotido’s farmers are not asking for miracles—just for support that matches the climate they live in. With drought-resistant seeds, irrigation infrastructure, food storage education, and climate-smart training, they can turn dry seasons into growing seasons.

The rains may have returned—but until resilience is built into every seed, every loan, and every promise, the hunger will stay, and the hope will fade