Dr. Ayub Mukisa: In Karamoja, Regulating Sorghum Sales Is Key to Ending the Food Crisis

What the report says

Watchdog Uganda published an opinion piece by Dr. Ayub Mukisa, identified as executive director of the Karamoja Anti-Corruption Coalition, arguing that local authorities in Karamoja should regulate sorghum sales during bumper harvests to help reduce recurring food insecurity. The article presents the proposal as a continuation of Mukisa’s earlier commentary on the region’s grain trade and hunger challenges.

According to the piece, the central concern is that sorghum is often sold at very low prices after good harvests, leaving households with too little grain to last through lean periods. Mukisa cites earlier research discussed in the article, including work by Simon Levine and a doctoral study by Dr. Damalie Akwango, to support the claim that Karamoja has faced long-running food insecurity and continued dependence on external relief.

The argument is that limiting or managing commercial sales during periods of abundance would help families retain enough stock for later months, while still allowing communities to earn income. The author says the goal is not to block livelihoods, but to balance immediate cash needs with longer-term food security and resilience.

The commentary is significant because it reflects a broader policy debate in Karamoja over how to respond to chronic hunger in a region that remains vulnerable to climate shocks and market pressures. More broadly, it highlights the tension between household income from crop sales and the need to protect food reserves in drought-prone areas.