Greater Masaka coffee farmers count losses as dry spell bites

In the coffee gardens of the Greater Masaka area and other districts of Buganda Sub-region, the evidence of a punishing dry spell is written on the trees.

Leaves that should be deep green are curling and losing their lustre. Some flowers have fallen before turning into berries, while others have produced fruits that remain small, shrivel prematurely or fail to develop to maturity.

For farmers who spent months pruning, weeding, applying manure and pesticides and waiting for coffee cherries to mature, the dry spell has turned anticipation into anxiety.