IDEA’s latest Weekly Uganda Agriculture, Food Market, and Farming Weather Report is now available.

Key takeaways this week:

📈 Food prices: Maize and beans remain the main concern. Beans are especially high in Northern, Central, and Lake Victoria Crescent markets, with some markets near or above UGX 4,000/kg.

🌧 Weather: Western and Northern Uganda are expected to be the wettest areas this week. Central Uganda has lighter rainfall, so farmers should protect soil moisture.

🌽 Farmer action: Weed early, top-dress maize only after rain has soaked into the soil, drain low-lying fields, dry beans and maize on raised surfaces, and scout for fall armyworm, bean diseases, banana diseases, banana weevil, ticks, and poultry disease.

🐄 Livestock: Wet weather increases tick and disease pressure. Keep kraals dry, check animals daily, maintain vaccination schedules, and keep poultry houses dry.

This report is designed for farmers, extension workers, agriculture ministries, non-governmental organizations, and agribusinesses working to strengthen food security in Uganda.

Key points this week: rainfall is helping crop growth, but farmers should watch for flooding, waterlogging, soil erosion, and road delays. Beans remain the staple under the most price pressure, while maize is tighter in some retail markets. Farmers should focus on drainage, first or second weeding, correct fertilizer timing, safe drying of grain and beans, and regular scouting for fall armyworm, aphids, bean diseases, ticks, and poultry breathing stress.

Key signals this week:
1.⁠ ⁠Rainfall remains active across most farming regions, especially Eastern Uganda, the Lake Victoria Crescent, Central Uganda, and parts of the western highlands. Farmers should watch for erosion, waterlogging, poor road access, and crop disease pressure.

2.⁠ ⁠Maize prices rose about 4.5% from March to April, while beans remain about 19% below April 2025 levels. Central Uganda and the Lake Victoria Crescent continue to show stronger maize prices.

3.⁠ ⁠Farmers should prioritize drainage, first weeding, careful maize top-dressing on moist but not waterlogged soils, and close scouting for fall armyworm, bean diseases, banana disease, and livestock health problems.

Karamoja and Northern Uganda remain especially vulnerable because many crops are still in establishment or early growth stages, so market dependence remains high before harvest relief arrives.

Maize prices have risen the fastest since January, moving from UGX 1,316.78/kg to UGX 1,472.12/kg nationally. Beans and sorghum are also higher, while millet is slightly lower.

Useful rain is expected across several regions, especially western, central, eastern, and lake-belt areas. However, April rainfall remains below normal in many places, so farmers should not assume the season is fully secure yet.

Uganda’s outlook is mixed, but manageable. Rainfall is expected to be patchy and below usual in many areas, while Lake Victoria and some wetter zones still face storm, humidity, and waterlogging risks.