Karamoja Drought Could Trigger National Food Crisis, MP Nakut Warns

What the report says

Napak Woman MP and Parliament Commissioner Faith Nakut has warned that a prolonged dry spell in Karamoja could deepen hunger in the region and spill into a broader national food and economic crisis. In comments published by Nile Post, she said the sub-region has gone more than seven months without rain, far beyond the usual dry period, leaving farmers, crops and livestock under severe strain.

Nakut said many households prepared their gardens for the planting season but missed the expected rains, putting at risk money spent on land preparation, seed and other inputs. She argued that Karamoja’s large cattle population should not be taken as proof of widespread wealth, noting that many families still rely on small-scale subsistence farming and have little food storage capacity. She also said livestock movements from Kotido, Moroto and Napak toward Teso in search of pasture and water could increase pressure on women, children and older people, and potentially fuel local tensions.

The MP linked the crisis to wider effects beyond Karamoja, saying reduced agricultural output could hurt exports such as coffee and add pressure to Uganda’s currency and import costs. She called for emergency food and livelihood support, alongside longer-term investment in water harvesting, irrigation and storage systems.

Nakut specifically urged government action on the proposed Lopei Multipurpose Dam and the rehabilitation of older dams in the region. As a general matter, drought in semi-arid areas like Karamoja often exposes gaps in water infrastructure and makes communities more vulnerable to repeated food shocks, especially where households depend heavily on rain-fed farming.