Minister for Agriculture, Frank TumwebazeThe Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Frank Tumwebaze, has said government is fast-tracking a plan for mass rollout of irrigation infrastructure to avert crop failures and livestock deaths as drought persists across the country.In a statement posted on his X handle on Tuesday, Tumwebaze said many farmers are reporting poor germination and crop failure due to the highly unconventional harsh weather.“Fellow farmers greetings and Pole Sana on the highly unconventional harsh weather! The drought has persisted and many farmers are reporting cases of poor crop germination and or crop failure,” Tumwebaze said.He said government is closely monitoring the situation and Cabinet discussed the matter on Monday.“Government is seriously monitoring the situation. In Cabinet yesterday (Monday), we discussed the matter and H.E the President directed the immediate conclusion of a plan for mass roll-out of irrigation infrastructure to facilitate water conveyance to farms,” he said.Tumwebaze said the targeted enterprises will be those that guarantee food security, income security including coffee and cocoa, animal feed security such as maize and pastures, and fish farming.He said the Ministry has invited all district leaders – both elected and technical – for a two-day consultative meeting starting October 7, 2026, to profile each district.“My ministry has accordingly invited all district leaders for a 2-day consultative meeting starting tomorrow 7th October 2026, to enable us profile each district in terms of its water coverage status, terrain and the enterprises to prioritize for irrigation,” Tumwebaze said.He said input from district leaders will help design an intervention informed by the actual needs of each district and sub-region.“Their input will help us to design a mass intervention that is informed by the actual needs of each district/sub-region,” he said.The Minister expressed hope that in the short and medium term, coverage of irrigated farming will increase substantially.“It is my hope that in the short and medium term, we shall raise substantially the coverage of irrigated farming across the country to avert crop failures and livestock deaths,” TumThe post Govt Plans Mass Irrigation Rollout as Drought Hits Farmers – Tumwebaze appeared first on Business Focus.