517,800 people, representing 41 percent of the population in Karamoja Sub region, have been at risk of food insecurity between March and July 2022 -authorities in Uganda said.
This revelation is in the status report presented to parliament today 14th July, 2022 by the Minister for Disaster Preparedness on the prevailing hunger situation and government interventions in Karamoja Sub Region.
The minister, Hon Ester Anyakun, told legislators that by March 2022, 80 percent of households in Karamoja reported that food stocks would last a month or less while only 3% of Households had stocks last for more than 3 months.
The statement comes at the backdrop of reports which came out last month indicating that hundreds of people had died of hunger in Karamoja while tens of thousands were at the brink of starvation.
In a statement, the minister also told parliamentarians that food insecurity in Karamoja in 2022, increased by 41%, compared to the previous year 30% (2021) and 27% in 2020. Worst affected districts are; Kotido (1.O7,7OO), Napak (81,800), Kaabong (70,600), Moroto (61,900).
Yesterday, 13th July 2022, government sent 1590 Metric tons of maize flour and 795 metric tons of beans to persons affected by food Insecurity in Karamoja Sub-region. The relief package amounting to UGX.135.2BN expected to feed the starving population for a period of three months.
Prime Minister Nabbanja made an appeal to donors and development partners to respond to food insecurity in Karamoja Sub-region that is highly affected by the challenge of food insecurity.