KAMPALA, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Uganda has allocated 50 billion Ugandan shillings (about 13.5 million U.S. dollars) from its contingency fund to mitigate the impact of harsh weather conditions expected this month, the government announced Tuesday.
The funding, approved by the cabinet on Monday, will finance emergency food relief and other interventions in areas projected to be hardest hit by prolonged dry conditions.
"The prevailing temperature outlook for July 2026 is expected to be higher than average," said Minister of ICT and National Guidance Justine Kasule Lumumba, attributing the conditions to the ongoing El Nino phenomenon over the equatorial, central and eastern Pacific Ocean.
Above-average temperatures forecast for July pose significant risks to livelihoods, agriculture and the broader economy, with the anticipated heat likely to reduce agricultural production, worsen food insecurity, strain water resources, and increase cases of heat-related illnesses, waterborne diseases and malnutrition, said Lumumba.
The prolonged dry conditions could also reduce household incomes, fuel conflicts over scarce water and pasture, and drive up food prices, she added.
According to Lumumba, food supplies have already been mobilized through the Office of the Prime Minister for distribution to the semi-arid northeastern Karamoja region, which is expected to bear the brunt of the dry spell.
The government urged the public to conserve water, adopt supplementary irrigation where possible, and use available food supplies efficiently. ■