NEWS- There is fear among farmers in Lobule Sub-county in Koboko District and Lodonga, Kuru town council in Yumbe District after hailstones distroyed almost all of their crops.
It is said that a three-hour downpour characterised by hailstones and strong winds on Wednesday 8th September 2021 left over 330 acres of crops in Koboko district and about 400 acres in Yumbe severely destroyed.
The most unfortunate thing was that refugees in Lobule settlements are also among the most victims.
The worst affected farmers were cited in the villages of Atu river A and B village, Kotoro village, Melioko village in Ajipala parish in Lobule Sub-county in Koboko District, Mazaga, Kenyanga, Ainga, Loki, Elekele, Aringa chaku village, and Pari villages in Nyori, Yumele, and Lodonga parishes respectively all in Yumbe District.
The hailstones ravaged crops like cassava, maize, simsim, sorghum, beans, groundnuts, cabbage, watermelon, sweet potatoes among others.
Mr. Alfred Ayume, the Atu river village chairperson revealed that farmers are worried about how they will be feeding their families in the next days stressing that both immature and ready crops were destroyed.
Mr. Sebi Kassim, the LC3 Chairman for Lodonga Sub-county in Yumbe District noted that the most affected farmers are beneficiaries of Danish Church Aid who planted over 10 acres of sunflower, three acres of soybeans and farmers benefitting from Operation Wealth Creation with over 24 acres of cassava plantation.
