Uganda faces food crisis: 19 die of hunger, 1.5 million at risk of malnutrition

A food crisis is unfolding in Uganda as the country experiences its worst drought in decades. According to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (Fews Net), at least 19 people have died of hunger in the Karamoja region, where 1.5 million people are at risk of malnutrition.

The Ugandan government began distributing emergency food in Karamoja on July 22 after recording deaths from starvation. However, the worsening drought is reviving memories of the 2022 crisis that killed more than 2,000 people.

Causes of the crisis

Karamoja, a vast and arid region, has seen no rain since April—the start of the planting season. Most people there rely on farming and livestock.

Kristof Titeca, an assistant professor at the Institute of Development Policy and Management at the University of Antwerp in Belgium, said the current food crisis is a combination of factors: climate change causing prolonged drought, environmental degradation driven by poverty leading to overgrazing and deforestation, conflicts among cattle herders, rising food prices, and most importantly, the historical neglect of Karamoja since colonial times.

The U.S. withdrawal of foreign aid under President Donald Trump has also worsened the crisis, as aid agencies cut back on food support.

Job Kijji, executive director of IDEA, a policy institute in Uganda, said the real cause is governance failure. "Millions of dollars meant for Karamoja have been stolen by corrupt officials over the years," he said, criticizing the government for sending emergency maize and beans only after famine struck, rather than investing sustainably.

Government response

The Ugandan government has allocated $18 million in aid for Karamoja. Disaster Preparedness and Refugees Minister Sam Engola confirmed that he has worked with the World Food Programme (WFP) to discuss interventions, stressing that immediate food aid is only a short-term solution. "We are working with the Ministry of Agriculture to invest in irrigation systems, valley dams, grain storage, and drought-resistant crops," he wrote on social media platform X.

Will the government's actions be effective?

Job Kijji said the government is still following a "failed script" by sending emergency food only after famine has already struck, calling it a "political band-aid" rather than a sustainable solution. He urged investment in climate-smart agriculture, on-site water harvesting, solar-powered irrigation, and agricultural mechanization.

"The country does not lack food overall; it is facing a structural distribution crisis. In western Uganda, farmers dump excess milk due to a lack of markets, while Karamoja children die of hunger. We must invest in modern storage systems and a national cold chain," he said.

Uganda is not the only country in the Horn of Africa affected by drought. Millions of people in Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, and South Sudan are also facing severe food shortages.