In Uganda, prices for everyday essentials like sugar, chicken, and beef have surged, making once-basic meals a challenge for many families to afford. This shift in household spending is a clear signal of how rising global temperatures and outdated food systems are affecting lives.
What's happening?
As The Monitor detailed, Uganda is seeing sharp increases in the cost of staple foods.
Sugar has jumped from Shs3,800 to Shs4,500 ($1.06 to $1.26) per kilogram, chicken prices have climbed from Shs15,000 to Shs25,000 ($4.19 to $6.98), and beef from Shs12,000 to Shs16,000 ($3.35 to $4.46).
These hikes are being driven by higher fuel and transport prices, skyrocketing animal feed costs, and long dry spells reducing crop and livestock yields.
Farmers are grappling with expensive veterinary care and limited access to vaccines, while growing export demand from neighboring countries like Kenya is straining domestic supplies.
Why is this trend concerning?
For families across Uganda, the spike in food prices has upended daily routines and strained household budgets to the breaking point.
"Even sugar for tea has become a struggle," one mother in Namutumba District told The Monitor.
Meat has become a luxury, and more households are opting for cheaper alternatives or going without entirely.
As the planet continues to overheat, extreme weather events like droughts are becoming more frequent, undermining traditional agriculture.
Farmers are shifting toward more profitable cash crops, which means fewer staples like cassava or matooke are available for local consumption.
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Not enough time ⏳ Without accessible, affordable food, families are forced to make tough choices that limit their ability to thrive.
We've seen similar effects elsewhere: coffee prices spiking in Central America due to drought or coral bleaching cutting off vital fish supplies in the Pacific Islands.
Uganda's reliance on aging food infrastructure and minimal investment in sustainable agriculture leaves communities vulnerable to both economic and environmental shocks.
Our warming planet is contributing to food scarcity in areas around the globe and damaging food chains in the wild.
What's being done about it?
In the short term, families are finding ways to cope, such as replacing sugar with honey or skipping it altogether, but the bigger picture requires structural change.
Experts quoted by The Monitor are urging action: subsidies for key food items, better food distribution systems, and support for climate-resilient farming techniques.
There's also growing pressure for policy reforms to regulate essential food pricing and improve market stability.
On an individual level, small steps like planning meals, buying in bulk, and choosing seasonal ingredients can all stretch a household budget.
Long-term, supporting local farmers and investing in more resilient food systems will be crucial.
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