Museveni Unveils Three-Phase Strategy to Bolster Karamoja Food Security

President Yoweri Museveni has announced a strategic, three-phase approach to stabilize food security in the Karamoja sub-region. This initiative aims to equip communities with agricultural seeds and livestock better suited to the area’s challenging climate, thereby fostering self-sufficiency and lessening dependence on government relief.

The strategy was unveiled during the 11th Karamoja Cultural Event in Moroto District, a gathering focused on unity, peace, and prosperity. The President highlighted that recurrent droughts, exacerbated by climate change, have necessitated significant emergency food distributions, with the government currently providing aid worth approximately Shs45 billion.

The first phase will prioritize short-maturing crops like sorghum, green gram, and white peas, which are more adaptable to Karamoja’s unpredictable weather than maize. The President also advocated for goat rearing and beekeeping as alternative income and food sources, noting the suitability of goats to the region’s vegetation. Cassava and bananas were also mentioned as viable crops for wetter areas.

Medium- and long-term plans will focus on transitioning households from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture. Irrigation, supported by large-scale water infrastructure such as dams, will be central to this transformation due to the region’s vulnerability to drought. The President cautioned against wetland encroachment, emphasizing their importance to water systems.

Beyond agriculture, President Museveni urged the Karamoja community to conduct a cultural audit, preserving beneficial traditions while discarding those that hinder development, such as unchecked nomadism. He credited the restoration of peace, following a successful disarmament program that recovered around 41,000 illegal guns, for creating a foundation for progress. The event also celebrated the region’s cultural heritage and its potential to drive economic growth and transformation.

Leaders present, including Vice President Jessica Alupo and the Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Hon. John Baptist Lokii, welcomed the strategy, viewing it as a complement to existing wealth-creation programs. Lokii also requested a delay in the recovery of Parish Development Model funds due to the severe drought.

Source: https://statehouse.go.ug/president-museveni-unveils-three-phase-food-stabilisation-strategy-for-karamoja