Kampala, July 29, 2026 — The Ugandan government has sounded a high alert over the worsening food security and nutrition crisis in the Karamoja sub-region, calling on development partners to urgently bridge a $72.6 million funding gap to avert a humanitarian catastrophe.
Minister for Disaster Preparedness and Refugees in the Office of the Prime Minister Sam Engola, who chaired the Karamoja Development Partners Group meeting in Kampala on behalf of the Prime Minister, revealed that a comprehensive six-month response plan requires $84 million. While the Government of Uganda has already committed $12.16 million, immediate joint action is required to secure the remaining funds.
“Having seen the suffering in Karamoja firsthand, joint action is critical,” Engola said, emphasizing the need for alignment with the government-led strategy.
The severity of the crisis is stark: 473,000 people are facing acute food shortages, and more than 30,000 children are suffering from malnutrition following two consecutive failed crop seasons due to prolonged drought.
The response plan targets six critical pillars: Coordination & Early Warning, Food & Cash Assistance, Health & Nutrition, Agriculture, School Meals & Education, and Cross-Border Peace & Protection. Engola confirmed that government food relief distribution is already underway but stressed the need for partners already on the ground to coordinate directly with the government moving forward.
Looking beyond the immediate emergency, Engola urged stakeholders to invest in long-term resilience through irrigation schemes and grain silos to mitigate future climate shocks, particularly as the crisis also threatens neighboring regions, including Teso, Lango, and Acholi.
The appeal follows recent reports of at least 16 deaths linked to the drought-induced shortages and aligns with warnings from the UN that funding for emergency projects has dwindled while the situation worsens .
