Why is Uganda experiencing a food crisis?

What the report says

Al Jazeera English reports that Uganda is facing a worsening hunger crisis driven by what it describes as the country’s worst drought in decades, with the northeastern Karamoja region hardest hit. Citing the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, the report says at least 19 people have died from starvation in Karamoja and about 1.5 million people are at risk of malnutrition. The region relies heavily on crops and livestock, and failed rains since April have sharply reduced food supplies.

Experts and local officials cited by Al Jazeera point to several overlapping causes. Agnes Kirabo of the Food Rights Alliance said crop losses in many areas are estimated at 50 to 70 percent, with thousands of hectares destroyed. Kristof Titeca of the University of Antwerp linked the crisis to prolonged dry conditions, environmental degradation, poverty, cattle raiding, higher food prices and Karamoja’s long history of marginalisation. Other commentators cited in the report also criticised governance failures, weak planning and underinvestment in water, irrigation and agricultural systems.

The Ugandan government has begun emergency food distribution in Karamoja after the reported deaths. According to Al Jazeera, authorities have set aside aid for the region, including maize flour and beans, with relief planned for more than 300,000 households across nine districts. Food Rights Alliance figures cited in the article say the Office of the Prime Minister is delivering nearly 9.5 million kilograms of food, while officials have also discussed longer-term measures such as drought-resistant seeds, irrigation, valley dams and grain storage.

The crisis matters because Karamoja has experienced repeated food emergencies, including a major hunger crisis in 2022. Al Jazeera also notes that Uganda’s difficulties form part of a wider pattern of drought-related shortages affecting parts of the Horn of Africa, including Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia and South Sudan.