By Augustine Mumbere,
Cattle keepers in Lake Katwe Sub County, Kasese district are calling on the government to come to their rescue as they lose their livestock to drought.
Emaciated and bonny cattle are a common sight in the grazing fields in most pastoral areas of Kasese district.
In Kabirizi village, farmers say most of the water sources have dried up which has significantly affected the milk production of their animals.
Amos Kambikwire, one of the prominent cattle keepers in the area says they have to trek more than five kilometers to River Nyamugasana to access water for their animals.
He says that for the young animals, this distance is unbearable and as such farmers have to incur a huge cost in transporting the water.Mr. Kambikire..
Doreen Tusingwire and Robert Musinguzi another farmers in Kabirizi says she has lost her two cows to the excessive hit and lack of water.
She adds that as farmers rush to sell their animals before they starve to death, prices of livestock in drought-hit areas have however dropped significantly thus, impacting entire families. Mr. Musinguzi and Doreen speaking…
The Kasese District Water Engineer, Patrick Ndungu Syaipuma however is giving hope to farmers in the area noting that access to water for both domestic and animal use will soon be improved with the completion of the Nyamugasana Water Supply and Sanitation Project expected soon.
Mr. Syaipuma speaking…..
The project has been designed to cover more than 12 sub-counties and Town Councils that are water-stressed along River Nyamugasana. END.