Drought, food crisis kill 16 in Uganda

At least 16 people have died of starvation in the Karamoja region of northeastern Uganda in recent weeks as a prolonged drought has destroyed crops, the government said. Thousands of families are facing food insecurity and authorities have begun distributing emergency food aid to help cope with the situation.
Ugandan Prime Minister Robinah Ndamba said her office will seek cabinet approval on Monday (July 13) to ensure additional food supplies to affected areas. If approved, more food grains will be purchased and quickly distributed to affected areas.
Local farmers said there has been little or no rain in the region since April this year, which is usually the start of the planting season. The lack of rain has dried up vast fields of maize, sorghum and soybeans, dashing hopes of a good harvest. There are fears that the food crisis could worsen as agricultural production has fallen.
Experts say climate change, erratic rainfall, deforestation, overgrazing and crop diseases are playing a role in the recurring food crises in the Karamoja region. These factors put the local population at risk of famine and malnutrition every year. The government has already started distributing emergency food aid. Experts have stressed more accurate weather forecasting, investment in irrigation systems and the development and promotion of drought-tolerant crop varieties.
It is worth noting that Uganda’s semi-arid northeast has experienced several severe food crises in the past. A report by the country’s government human rights agency said that more than 2,200 people died of starvation and hunger-related diseases in northeastern Uganda in 2022.
At the time, then-Foreign Minister Henry Okello Orim faced widespread criticism for calling the people who died of starvation “fools”. He claimed that Uganda’s fertile land and favorable climate made it possible for people to grow their own food. His comments sparked heated debate across the country.

Source: BBC