Uganda Unveils Three-Phase Strategy to Stabilize Food Security in Karamoja
MOROTO, UGANDA — September 13, 2026
President Yoweri Museveni unveiled a comprehensive three-phase food stabilisation strategy for Karamoja on Sunday, aiming to help households withstand recurrent droughts, strengthen food security, and progressively reduce dependence on emergency food relief.
The announcement came during the 11th Karamoja Cultural Event at Naitakwae Grounds in Moroto district, where over 15,000 participants gathered under the theme "Unity in Culture, Strength in Peace, Prosperity Through Tourism and Natural Resources."
Context and Rationale
The strategy responds to climate change impacts that have repeatedly forced the Ugandan government to provide emergency food relief to drought-stricken communities. Current relief efforts distribute approximately Shs 45 billion worth of food aid to affected areas, but the Cabinet has resolved to adopt a more sustainable approach.
"Karamoja is a fertile area, but it's because of water body encroachment. Therefore, we are going to put up big projects to support irrigation in Karamoja, like big dams," President Museveni said.
Three-Phase Implementation Design
Immediate Phase: Focuses on short-maturity crops suited to unpredictable weather conditions, including sorghum, green gram, and white peas. The President cautioned against excessive reliance on maize due to its longer maturity period and the region's dry climatic conditions.
Medium and Long-Term Phases: Progressively transition households from subsistence production to modern commercial agriculture. Irrigation infrastructure development is central to this transformation, with large-scale dams proposed to reduce dependence on rainfall.
The strategy also promotes alternative livelihoods including goat rearing, beekeeping, and cultivation of cassava and bananas in wetter areas of Karamoja.
Key Findings and Implications
President Museveni attributed Karamoja's improving development prospects to peace restoration following disarmament programmes, noting approximately 41,000 illegal guns recovered from the region. Minister for Karamoja Affairs, John Baptist Lokii, welcomed the food stabilisation focus, saying the strategy would complement existing government wealth-creation programmes including the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga.
"Let us allow Karamojongs to recover properly from this strong drought," Minister Lokii appealed, requesting delayed recovery of PDM funds from beneficiaries in the region.
Sustainable Agriculture and Water Infrastructure
The initiative addresses water scarcity by calling for large-scale dam construction while warning against wetland encroachment. President Museveni stressed the importance of protecting wetlands as part of Uganda's water systems rather than converting them into agricultural land.
Sources
- The Cooperator News (September 13, 2026):
- Uganda Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
FIRAT Editorial
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