Busoga farmers face famine risk due to deforestation for sugarcane

29 May 2025, 22:42

By Ali Lukomo

Farmers in the Busoga subregion are likely to face famine due to climate change driven by continued deforestation to pave way for sugarcane growing.

While addressing farmers in Kagumba subcounty, Kamuli district—one of the areas that once supported huber cattle grazing but has now shifted to sugarcane farming—residents expressed concern over the environmental changes. They explained that before sugarcane growing became widespread, the region had significant tree and green cover, and rainfall patterns were more predictable. However, with the continued clearing of forests, many households may soon struggle to grow food due to unreliable rainfall.

“In the past, Busoga used to have two clear seasons: the wet and dry seasons,” a farmer said. “In Lusoga, they were called Omutwoigo and Omusambya, falling between February and June. But now, rains only come in April and May, which disrupts the second planting season around August and September.”

One farmer, Baguma Davis from Kagumba, expressed concern about sugarcane growers who leave “nothing green on planet Earth.” He emphasised the importance of maintaining some form of vegetation cover to preserve the environment.

Another farmer urged fellow cultivators to plant trees along the borders of their sugarcane plantations. “This will help attract rain and protect the soil,” he said, stressing the need for balance between commercial farming and environmental conservation.