Food shortage hits Karamoja again
Some men and women in Moroto District collect leaves for eating recently. PHOTO BY STEVEN ARIONG
Karamoja- Several families across Karamoja sub-region have been hit by severe food shortage following a prolonged dry spell and crop failure.
Some families have now resorted to eating leaves of wild plants for survival.
Out of the seven districts of Karamoja, Abim is the only one where most families can still afford two meals a day because of its fertile soils.
Moroto District chairperson Mark Musoka said more than 50,000 people are experiencing serious food shortage, adding that several households had cultivated crops but due to change in weather, all crops dried up exposing the families to hunger.
“This time things are very serious and in the next two months, the region might need general relief food distribution,” he said on Sunday.
Mr Joseph Lomonyang, the Napak District chairperson, said residents of the district, which has been a food basket for the sub-region, are now desperate for food.
The district production officer Nakapiripirit, Mr Tengei Marrio, said although the crops germinated well at the beginning of the planting season they got shocked when they failed to blossom.
“Initially this would be a harvesting month but there is nothing to harvest,” he said.
Dodoth East MP Samson Lokeris said there is need for urgent relief food in the sub-region before hunger claims lives.
“There is no need to wait for people to die of hunger. This the right time government should rush here with relief food,” he said.
