A Monthly Newsletter on Food Security and Vulnerability in Uganda
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A Monthly Newsletter on Food Security and Vulnerability in Uganda Number 01/2001 15 January, 2001 Summary Relative calm in December enabled most people to return to their homes in Kabarole and Kasese Districts (western Uganda) following their displacement in late November after attacks by rebels of Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). Households are able to access their fields to harvest second-season crops, therefore maintaining food security in these districts. Since the beginning of the year, no significant rebel activities have occurred in Bundibugyo, Kabarole, and Kasese Districts, where near-normal security conditions were reported. UN agencies and other humanitarian organizations are actively involved these districts. An estimated 452,000 people have been displaced in Gulu and Kitgum Districts (northern Uganda) over the past decade due to attacks by the Lord’s Resistance Army. These people live in or close to internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps in the two Districts. Approximately 82 percent of the IDPs are camped in Gulu District while 18 percent are in Kitgum. The IDPs are able to return to their homes when rebel activities periodically subside. Average to above-average harvests for the second season (August to December) in most parts of Uganda improved household access to food as well as enhanced their food stocks, which are reportedly adequate generally. Except for the areas experiencing civil insecurity, where populations have been plagued by inadequate access to food, and drought-affected parts of Katakwi District, FEWS NET does not expect significant food shortages until the main season harvest in June/July 2001. Adequate soil moisture sustains vegetation, and ground water conditions are satisfactory in the southwestern cattle-rearing areas in Mbarara, Ntungamo, and Rakai Districts as well as in Kabale District, where many farmers practice dairy farming. Livestock enjoy sufficient access to pastures. However, normal dry conditions in Moroto and Kotido Districts, northeastern Uganda, have reduced availability of pastures and water there, according to the Karamoja Project Implementation Unit. With most of the second-season crops harvested and dried, commercial traders report that supplies of cereals and beans to major markets in Uganda have improved. Increasing supplies of dry maize grain led to price declines in all markets during December, as expected. FEWS NET anticipates further reductions in dry maize prices. Bean prices have also fallen, though trends vary by market. Lower prices help to improve access to food for households that depend on the market. A general rise in the price of bananas (matooke) was observed during December, where a 100-kg bag cost approximately UShs 2,200 more in many markets than during November. Bananas are a major staple crop in many districts of Uganda, except the north, and the main food eaten during festive periods. Higher prices during December reflect increased demand during the December festive period. Provided that supplies remain normal, FEWS NET expects prices to return to their previous levels. In May 2000, Oxfam Great Britain (GB) in Uganda carried out a nutrition and food security assessment of Kotido District that concluded there was no basis for emergency intervention because the prevalence of malnutrition was found to be normal to borderline during the “hunger gap.” A repeat survey planned for August/September 2000 had to be postponed. Oxfam GB, A USAID Project Managed by Chemonics International, Inc. ¨ P.O. Box 7856, Kampala, Uganda Telephone 256-41-231140 ¨ Fax: 256-41-231139 ¨ Email: [email protected] A Monthly FEWS Newsletter on Food Security and Number 01/2001 2 Vulnerability in Uganda 15 January 2001 with the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) as lead organization in Moroto District, government departments, NGOs, and community-based organizations (CBOs), is conducting a geographically expanded assessment covering Kotido District and Moroto District. The objectives of the assessment, which runs from January 8-20, are to: 1) establish a nutritional surveillance system in Kotido and Moroto Districts; 2) establish a simple monitoring mechanism to cover nutrition and food security indicators that may be used for early warning; and 3) enable Oxfam and LWF to make recommendations regarding food and nutrition security in the two districts. A draft report is expected shortly after the assessment is completed. 1. Review of Diminishing and Continuing Humanitarian and Food Crises 1.1. Diminishing Food Security Crises Relative calm in Kabarole and Kasese Districts since December 2000 has allowed people formerly displaced by ADF rebels in November to return home. Although civil insecurity remains a possibility, many households are able to access food from their gardens and other sources. Humanitarian organizations, in conjunction with the Government of Uganda (GoU), continue implementing emergency programs to provide food and non-food assistance to the displaced in Bundibugyo, Kabarole, and Kasese Districts in western Uganda. In December, the Ugandan military restored relative calm to Kabarole and Kasese Districts of western Uganda, where ADF rebels had launched attacks in late November. As a result, many people who had been displaced by the attacks were able to return to their homes. Subsequently, households were able to gain access to their fields to begin harvesting second-season crops in December, removing a major concern in view of the prevailing uncertain civil security conditions. This has helped maintain household food security in the districts. Since the beginning of the year, no significant rebel activities have been experienced in Bundibugyo, Kabarole and Kasese Districts, where near-normal security conditions are reported. UN agencies and other humanitarian organizations, such as the World Food Program (WFP), UNICEF, FAO, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Médecins Sans Frontières - France, Catholic Relief Services, ActionAid, and OXFAM are actively involved in Bundibugyo, Kabarole, and Kasese Districts. The WFP provides food aid assistance to an estimated 120,000 displaced persons in Bundibugyo Districts, while the other organizations provide a mix of humanitarian assistance, including water and sanitation, health, as well as agriculture- related services. 1.2. Continuing Humanitarian and Food Crises Uncertainty over civil security along with displacement of populations in Gulu, Kitgum, Bundibugyo, and parts of Kasese and Kabarole Districts continue to constrain household access to food. Through their emergency programs, UN agencies and other humanitarian organizations provide a major proportion of the displaced and refugee households’ food and nonfood requirements. WFP’s food aid programs benefit an estimated 1.1 million IDPs, refugees, and drought-affected people in Uganda. A Monthly FEWS Newsletter on Food Security and Number 01/2001 3 Vulnerability in Uganda 15 January 2001 For more than a decade, the Gulu and Kitgum Districts of northern Uganda have experienced persistent civil insecurity perpetrated by rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), who have sometimes been active in neighboring districts such as Adjumani, Apac, Lira and Moyo. The LRA has attacked communities, leading to displacement of households and extensive loss of life and property. Consequently, an estimated 452,000 people have been displaced over the period and live in, or close to, internally displaced Figure 1: Ongoing World Food Program Food Aid Activities persons (IDPs) camps in Gulu and Kitgum Districts. An estimated MOYO 370,000 IDPs KOTIDO ARUA KITGUM (approximately 82 ADJUMANI percent of the district GULU population) are located NEBBI MOROTO in Gulu District while LIRA APAC KATAKWI 82,000 IDPs are in MASINDI SOROTI Kitgum District NAKASONGOLA HOIMA KUMI (representing KAPCHORWA KAMULI PALLISA MBALE KIBOGA MUKONO approximately 16 BUNDIBUGYO KIBALE LUWERO IGANGA TORORO percent of the district’s BUGIRI JINJA KABAROLE MUBENDE BUSIA projected mid-2000 KAMPALA KASESE population). The IDPs MPIGI Civil Insecurity, Displacement: SEMBABULE General food distribution, Food for Work sometimes return to MASAKA BUSHENYI MBARARA KALANGALA Drought affected: school feeding their homes when rebel Some general food distribution RAKAI Food for Work activities periodically RUKUNGIRI subside. NTUNGAMO Refugees KISORO KABALE The WFP is the major FEWS NET Uganda, January 2001 food aid provider to Source: WFP, NGOs IDPs, Sudanese, Rwandese, and Congolese refugees in Uganda. The agency is also involved in food aid assistance to drought-affected people in Kotido and Moroto Districts in the Karamoja region of northeastern Uganda. All told, the WFP helps about 1.1 million IDPs, refugees, and drought- affected people. The agency is also involved in development programs, as well as relief programs. Figure 1 shows activity areas for the WFP. Table 1 is a summary update of the UN agency’s programs in Uganda. A Monthly FEWS Newsletter on Food Security and Number 01/2001 4 Vulnerability in Uganda 15 January 2001 Table 1: Update of WFP/Uganda Country Programs Project Type of Duration Beneficiarie Status of Contributions Number Program s Protracted Relief Refugees in 1 August 1999 21,281 Fair level of donations received and Recovery Kabarole, Hoima to 31 July 2001 except for cereals that run out in Program 6077.00 Districts March 2001. Require pledges of at least 1,000 MT of cereals to complete program. Protracted Relief IDPs in Kitgum, 1 April 2000 to 781,738 Only 32,228 MT (39%) out of and Recovery