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Alcohol consumption in Karamoja, Uganda’s pastoralist-dominated northeastern region, is a well-known and frequently discussed phenomenon in the policy and practice space. Brews made locally of sorghum and maize have sociocultural, nutritional and economic significance. Brewing also serves as a relatively stable and lucrative economic activity for women, in addition to featuring prominently in the adult diet. However, an emerging trend in alcohol use that has become a cause for concern among health officials, development practitioners and, especially, community members themselves is the rise in consumption of hard spirits. The import and production of homemade crude liquor and commercial gin (waragi) into Karamoja is said to have increased dramatically in recent years. Reportedly, its consumption has had visible effects on household economy, interpersonal relationships, and the health and wellbeing of the communities.
Livelihood systems in the Karamoja sub-region of northeastern Uganda have undergone substantial changes in the past two decades due to a number of interlinked processes, including disarmament and improved security, the erosion of pastoral-based production for many households, and the expansion of markets. These transformations have brought new social and economic options for many young people at the same time that existing ecological, cultural and political constraints shape the ways in which these opportunities can be realized. This briefing paper presents evidence from data collected by Feinstein International Center, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University under the Apolou Activity on development opportunities and challenges facing young men and women in the region.
This technical report describes the impacts of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions in the Karamoja sub-region of Uganda, based on field assessments in Amudat, Moroto and Abim Districts. The COVID-19 prevention guidelines that prompted total lockdown measures included market closure and travel restrictions which in turn affected the essential economic activities of many households, especially the poor. These restrictions were implemented in March 2020 and were still in place in August 2020.
Across the East Africa region livestock are an important asset for rural households, and livestock products contribute to human nutrition, and to local, national and regional economies. However, in some countries there has been a longstanding issue of under-investment in the livestock sector, and this problem has been associated with official underestimates of livestock’s contribution to national economies.
This textbook is a general reference on pastoralism theory, practice, and policy. It enables students and other readers from various professional backgrounds to understand how pastoralism functions as a system, its contributions to local, national, regional, and global economies and sustainable environmental management, and its role in promoting peace and harmony between pastoral and other communities.
The Karamoja Resilience Support Unit (KRSU), in partnership with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), commissioned the adaptation and roll-out of the East African Pastoralism and Policy Course (PPC) and has completed the final training of trainers (ToT) course.
The Karamoja Resilience Support Unit (KRSU), in partnership with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), commissioned the adaptation and roll-out of the East African Pastoralism and Policy Course (PPC) and has completed the final training of trainer’s (ToT) course.
The Karamoja Resilience Support Unit (KRSU), in partnership with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), commissioned the adaptation and roll-out of the East African Pastoralism and Policy Course (PPC) and has completed the final training of trainer’s (ToT) course.
This report from the KRSU uses participatory epidemiology to understand women’s knowledge on the seasonality and causes of child malnutrition in Karamoja. The report provides important new information on the timing of peaks in child malnutrition, women’s views on the main causes of malnutrition and the relative importance of these causes, and women’s preferences for programs to reduce malnutrition
The Karamoja Resilience Support Unit (KRSU), in partnership with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), commissioned the adaptation and roll-out of the East African Pastoralism and Policy Course (PPC) and has completed the final training of trainer’s (ToT) course.
This report analyses poverty in Karamoja from the perspective of livestock ownership, and uses a livestock threshold to categorize households as poor and non-poor. High levels of livestock poverty are then discussed in relation to programming and policy options
Investigation into changes in alcohol production, sale, and consumption in Karamoja since the start of the 2006 disarmament campaign.
The Karamoja Resilience Support Unit (KRSU), in partnership with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), commissioned the adaptation and roll-out of the East African Pastoralism and Policy Course (PPC) and has completed the final training of trainer’s (ToT) course.
In early 2016, a detailed report on livestock marketing in Karamoja, Uganda was published by the USAID/East Africa Resilience Learning Project, and described a dynamic trade and supply of livestock to markets in Uganda, Kenya, and South Sudan.
This review by the KRSU examines policy and programming on livestock and crop production in Karamoja’s drylands, and makes recommendations to take account of Karamoja’s unique environment within Uganda.
The Karamoja Resilience Support Unit (KRSU), in partnership with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), commissioned the adaptation and roll-out of the East African Pastoralism and Policy Course (PPC) and has completed the final training of trainer’s (ToT) course.
This report summarizes planned humanitarian and development activities of nine bilateral donors in the Karamoja sub-region in 2018.
This review examines regional policies and programming initiatives in East Africa and the Horn of Africa related to pastoral areas development, and their relevance to the Karamoja Region of Uganda.
The overall aim of the Karamoja FSNA was to determine the extent and severity of malnutrition in different age groups and food security of households as well as monitor selected food security, nutrition, health, water and sanitation indicators to assess programme performance
The KRSU has released an update on livestock marketing in Karamoja, providing comprehensive information on markets dynamics, price and volume trends, and other market performance indicators.
This study examines if mining sector frameworks in Uganda can support peaceful, transparent and mutually beneficial mineral extractions in Uganda. The study explores the perceptions and attitudes of: communities living in and around mining areas; government officials in mineral holding districts; and mining company officials. It focuses on how communities are affected by mining activities.
The study on rangeland management was conducted in the context of decades of livestock keeping, recent increase in cultivation and sedentarisation and climate change. The assessment assess the status of the rangeland using species composition, abundance, ecology, plant associations, and soil cover indices. It also document traditional methods of rangeland management, knowledge, practices and opportunities and in addition locate, and appraise Water Harvesting Sites and also estimate stock numbers and carrying capacity.
The report is part of an evaluation of the Growth, Health and Governance Program, that measures changes in product service utilization and livelihood development and pragmatic innovations in Karamoja region.
The main purpose of this assessment is to document and analyze trends in labor and employment in the non-pastoral labor sectors within and outside Karamoja, and to investigate how individual- and macrolevel factors influence participation in the labor market.
Abim is one of the districts in Karamoja subregion faced with chronic food insecurity coupled with high levels of malnutrition that are of public health concern.
Amudat is one of the districts in the Karamoja sub-region faced with chronic food insecurity coupled with high levels of malnutrition that are of public health concern.
The report is an assessment of education services in Karamoja. It analyses the social cultural and political context and its impact on education in Karamoja. The primary objective of the assessment is: review evidence and historical accounts of educational interventions in Karamoja and, analyses administrative and performance of schools.
The assessment analyses a set of market indicators including: food availability in markets, food prices, trader’s response capacity, market access, household dependence on markets, safety and security issues, infrastructural development (road connectivity; banking and other financial institutions; mobile money)
Moroto is one of the districts in the Karamoja sub-region faced with chronic food insecurity coupled with high levels of malnutrition that are of public health concern.
Nakapiripirit is one of the districts in the Karamoja sub-region faced with chronic food insecurity coupled with high levels of malnutrition that are of public health concern.
Kaabong is one of the districts in the Karamoja sub-region faced with chronic food insecurity coupled with high levels of malnutrition that are of public health concern.
Kotido is one of the districts in the Karamoja sub-region faced with chronic food insecurity coupled with high levels of malnutrition that are of public health concern.
The objectives of this study are to i) map the current (parallel) supply chains for nutrition commodities; ii) provide recommendations for a more harmonized, effective and efficient supply chain of nutrition commodities in Karamoja specifically; and iii) develop a national strategy for phased effective integration of nutrition commodities that have been managed separately from the mainstream supply chain.
The KRSU has recently completed a comprehensive review of veterinary services in Karamoja. The review covers all aspects of public and private sector service delivery, and reports the persistent high impacts of livestock diseases on livelihoods. The review recommendations include the need for stronger coordination of veterinary projects and programs, better support to community-based systems, and improving linkages between private veterinary pharmacies and community-basd animal health workers.
Napak is one of the districts in the Karamoja sub-region faced with chronic food insecurity coupled with high levels of malnutrition that are of public health concern.
Across pastoralist areas of East Africa there have been substantial changes to the provision of veterinary services since the 1970s, characterized by the gradual introduction of private sector service providers and community-based delivery systems.
A mapping of 2017 funds to Karamoja from 10 major bilateral and multilateral donors. Additional Information This donor mapping exercise has been compiled by the USAID supported Karamoja Resilience Unit (KRSU), on behalf of the KDPG. This is the second year that the KDPG has produced this mapping exercise. This year it is estimated that these 10 donors will provide €89 million (approx. 380 billion Ugx) during 2017. The analysis provided in this report (see Section 2) demonstrates that this funding is provided across all sectors with a particular focus on the basic service delivery (KIDP strategic objective 1) and food security (KIDP strategic objective 6).
An evidence brief on livestock development in Karamoja, Uganda. Recommendations include revitalization of veterinary services is a priority, water development for livestock, and local land use planning by local governments with communities. The African Union’s Policy Framework for Pastoralism in Africa provides an overarching Africa-wide policy to which new policies on range land and pastoralism in Uganda can be aligned, with recognition of the importance of strategic herd mobility.
The study aimed at exploring problems accelerating and limiting skills acquisition (BTVET Sector) for the youth in Karamoja region
This mapping exercise has been compiled by the USAID supported Karamoja Resilience Support Unit (KRSU), on behalf of the Karamoja Development Partners Group (KDPG). This mapping is based on responses from 54 NGOs (International, National, and Faith Based NGOs) out of a total of 59 organizations identified and contacted, and compiles information collected between June and November 2016. Over time more information will be gathered, and updated maps will be shared with stakeholders.
Overall food security classification shows that half of the population in Karamoja (50%) is food insecure, of which 12% were found to be severely food insecure.
In 2016, the World Food Programme (WFP) engaged ACF International to conduct an assessment of both supplementary feeding programme (SFP) for the treatment of moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and the outpatient feeding programme (OTP) for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition (SAM).
The Strategic Resilience Assessment demonstrates how individual, household, communities, governments and non-governmental actors can build resilience to shocks and stresses that threaten progress towards development goals.
Livelihoods in Karamoja continue to change as security improves; this includes a revitalization of pastoral production for some households. This report details the findings from research undertaken in February and March 2016 in four districts of Karamoja aimed at better understanding the current patterns of pastoral and agro-pastoral production in the region.
The purpose is to go beyond generic interventions by identifying really context-specific causes in order to propose adequate solutions. The seasonality of under-nutrition can for example be very different from one livelihood zone to another. A Link NCA is not a statistical demonstration of nutrition causality that can be generalized at a national level.
This study explored recent trends in diversification by East African pastoralists, the factors that drive their choices, and the potential short and longer-term consequences of their decisions. It considered the risks and costs of diversified and alternative livelihoods, as well as the benefits. The report presents findings from three case studies from Karamoja in northeastern Uganda, the Borana region of southern Ethiopia, and the Garissa District of northeastern Kenya. It includes policy recommendations regarding land tenure, local value addition around livestock production, and investments in sustainable natural products, local infrastructure, and urban/peri-urban planning. Further recommendations address nutritional issues, the promotion of regional trade, and growing demands for education, training, and business development skills.
The review synthesizes the main issues impacting livestock production in the region and identifies critical factors affecting livestock production. This review is drawn largely from the literature produced during the last five years on Karamoja generally, and more specifically on the livestock sector in Karamoja. Additional information was obtained through interviews in Kampala and Moroto with Government and NGO staff in April and May 2016.
The objectives of the gender assessment were 1) To get a clear understanding of the gender dimensions within the catchments; and 2) To identify gender mainstreaming approaches for the project components.
This policy brief is an opportunity to give a picture of the desirability of using livestock to improve livelihoods in the Karamoja region by taking advantage of existing policies or propose new ideas that will help exploit the potential of the livestock resource in Karamoja.
This report presents an analysis of livestock marketing in the Karamoja region of north-east Uganda. This assesment reviews the current status of livestock marketing and trade in Karamoja, including cross-border trade with Kenya and South Sudan. The assessment explains the economic logic of herd growth in Karamoja as a means to build household financial capital, and questions the notion of Karamojong herders as unresponsive to price and opportunity. The assessment reports a practice of 'trading up' in which bulls are fattened and exchanged for heifers, as well as a dynamic livestock market activity in Karamoja. Key constraints to livestock production are highlighted - weak veterinary services and problems with livestock water supply.
The purpose of the review is to strengthen gender equality and women’s and girl’s empowerment. DFID wishes to assess its work to date, in relation to the dynamic and changing social circumstances in the Karamoja, and in relation to inputs by other donors and organisations.
The Effectiveness Review took place in Kotido district, (Karamoja, Uganda) in August 2014, and set out to evaluate the impact of the project ‘Piloting gender sensitive livelihoods in Karamoja’ on dimensions of women’s empowerment in Karamoja. Project activities were implemented by Oxfam and partner organisations in the Kotido and Kaabong districts, Karamoja region, between July 2011 and March 2014.
The report presents desk review findings on the gender dimensions of water for agricultural production, with a focus on Karamoja sub-region in northeastern Uganda, under four thematic areas: i) the gender dimensions of leadership and technical roles at community level; ii) gender considerations in construction, repair and mantainence of water facilities; iii) gender roles in the use of water for agricultural production and productivity; and iv) the implications for agricultural production and productivity. The report seeks to inform the implementation of FAO’s Gender Equality Policy (2013).
This report reflects research from early 2015 conducted by the Feinstein International Center at the Friedman School of Tufts University and Mercy Corps in northern Karamoja, Uganda. The research examined changing conflict dynamics and related conflict mitigation and peacebuilding initiatives. The objective of the study was to provide a nuanced understanding of the current threats to security at the household, community, district and regional levels, and to examine how these dynamics have changed in recent years. The study examined conflict mitigation initiatives, including access to and efficacy of these systems.
Coverage assessments were conducted by ACF-UK in the Karamoja region from January to March 2015, in conjunction with UNICEF, WFP and MoH. The objectives of these assessments were: To map out point or period estimates of coverage of targeted areas; Identify boosters and barriers affecting coverage of OTC/SFP programs in the seven districts of the Karamoja region; In collaboration with key partners and the MoH, develop specific recommendations to improve acceptance and coverage of the program; Build capacity in MoH and key partners’ SLEAC/SQUEAC methodologies.
Food security and nutrition assessment for Karamoja region, July-August 2015
A policy brief on evidence on community-based animal health workers in Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Sudan. At community-level, CAHWs are seen as valuable service providers and outperform other types of animal health care in most aspects of service provision. The main constraint is the supply of veterinary medicines in contexts of mixed policy support to veterinary privatization and limited government capacity to ensure the quality of imported or locally-manufactured medicines. In Kenya, these issues are compounded by a lack of policy or legislative support to CAHWs, combined with weak service provision by other providers in pastoralist areas
The Karamoja Livelihoods Programme (KALIP) was a 4-year programme (2010-2015) to protect and enhance incomes and food security of the agro-pastoral communities in Karamoja and support them in building up their productive asset base. The global objective of the final evaluation mission was: “to make an overall independent assessment about the past performance of KALIP, paying particularly attention to the impact of the actions against its objectives.” The overall objective of KALIP was: “to promote development as an incentive to peace in the region by supporting agro-pastoral production livelihood alternatives and income generation opportunities for the people of Karamoja.” The Supervising Authority for KALIP was the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and the donor was the European Union.
Nearly half of households are currently food insecure with either borderline or poor Food Consumption Score, mainly due to the lean season that has seen a decline in food stocks at household level and contributed to food price rises (therefore reducing economic ability to purchase food). While food security status has marginally improved since June 2014, Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) levels have deteriorated and are at highest levels since 2010
The formative study aimed to identify and gain an appreciation of existing knowledge, attitudes, practices (KAP) and beliefs that community members have regarding nutrition practices. It also sought to establish challenges (barriers) mothers face regarding adequate nutrition practices; what would make mothers start employing adequate nutrition practices (triggers and enhancers) and; incentives within the mothers’ immediate social environment that possibly trigger adequate and appropriate nutritional practices.
The key objective of the assessment was a follow-up to the NUSAF2 assessment of 2013 in order to monitor outcomes on an annual basis
The Karamoja Integrated Development Plan is a strategy and framework to enhance coordination efforts in addressing development gaps in the Karamoja region
This report presents results of a rapid desk review of academic and grey literature on the evidence relating to trees and livelihoods in Karamoja a region in north eastern Uganda. The review identified the range of problems in the Karamoja sub-region; benefits of trees to people and communities living in Karamoja; the role of trees in resilience building; role of trees in agricultural production, traditional knowledge of trees in Karamoja; threats to trees, drivers of development in Karamoja; tree-based initiatives in the sub-region; and opportunities for action research in Karamoja.
The assessment reached over 1,100 households and primarily sought to assess the food security status of WFP beneficiaries and key aspects of market functionality with the view to inform potential cash/voucher programming in Karamoja.
The following assessment was carried out in order to provide a contextual analysis of the livestock market systems in Turkana County. This analysis aims to contribute to an understanding of the wider context of pastoralist livestock systems that will fit into MAP͛'s existing livestock strategy.
This technical brief provides an overview of Milk Matters, how it was designed, and the results achieved. The brief summarizes the key lessons from the project and discusses the need for further testing of the approach in other countries. The brief also asks whether Milk Matters might be used to reduce chronic malnutrition or stunting. In mid-2008 workers from Save the Children and Tufts University in Ethiopia came together to try to better understand and address the longstanding problem of acute malnutrition in pastoralist children.With funding from the US Office for Foreign Disaster Assistance, the Milk Matters project was started and worked with Somali pastoralists in Ethiopia to design and test new approaches for preventing wasting. Central to the approach was recognition of the seasonality of food access in pastoralist areas, and the high nutritional value of animal milk. It was also known that the long dry season was the critical period in terms of the risk of acute child malnutrition, due to declining access to milk at this time.
The report presents the relevance of the RISPA project to pastoral and agro-pastoral livelihoods in the HoA; its implementation performance; effectiveness in achieving expected results; efficiency; cross-cutting issues; impact; key issues/lessons learned from implementation and makes recommendations to be considered in future. The Project supported community action plans, government coordination structures and regional policies/ institutions in support of pastoral livelihoods in order to strengthen the resilience of agro-pastoral and pastoral communities and to diversify their livelihoods strategies and options.
Food security and nutrition assessment for the Karamoja region.
This paper provides key findings on the status of water sources for livestock watering in Karamoja, particularly in the districts of Napak, Moroto and Kotido.
This assessment was conducted in order to provide a solid base of livelihoods-related evidence to inform a 27-month (October 2013 – December 2015) FAO-implemented project in Karamoja sub-region titled “Strengthening Adaptive Capacity of Agro-Pastoral communities and the Local Government to Reduce Impacts of Climate Risk on Livelihoods in Karamoja, Uganda.
February 2014 assessment of food security for the region. The main causes of current household food insecurity in Karamoja can be attributed to a combination of reduced access to food and insufficient food production (availability) across the region.
Between December 2009 and May 2012, the District Health Office with support from ACF-USA implemented a UNICEF-funded nutrition project to reduce child mortality through strengthening the capacity of the Ministry of Health in detection and treatment of acute malnutrition in Uganda. One of the expected results of this project was to have a functional nutrition surveillance system established and strengthened in six districts within Karamoja region (Kaabong, Abim, Kotido, Moroto/Napak, Nakapiripirit, and Amudat).
The first comprehensive CoBRA assessment in Uganda was undertaken in the districts of Kotido and Kaabong, Karamoja sub-region on the 15th-26th July 2013. This assessment builds on the initial field trial of the draft CoBRA tool undertaken in Karamoja in late 2012. The multi-agency assessment was jointly led by the UNDP DDC and the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). This report outlines findings of the Kotido/Kaabong CoBRA assessment. It also incorporates key feedback and consolidated inputs.
This report documents the findings of a livelihoods assessment carried out as part of the USAID funded Sustainable Transformation in Agriculture and Nutrition (SUSTAIN) project being implemented by Mercy Corps and partners in the Karamoja sub-region of Northeastern Uganda. The overall goal of the SUSTAIN project is to promote peace and food security through three complementary strategic objectives aimed at (1) strengthening livelihoods, (2) improving nutritional outcomes for children under two and (3) building local capacities for conflict mitigation.The project is being implemented in three districts of Northern Karamoja, Abim, Kaabong and Kotido. The objective of this particular study is to inform implementation and collect baseline impact indicators for the activities under objective # 1. Under this objective (livelihoods strengthening)the project aims to improve productivity, market access, marketing behaviors and the overall business environment.
Evaluation of USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA)-funded Community-Based Animal Health Worker (CAHW) programs in the Horn of Africa
The objective of this study is to look at the impact of VSF-B's interventions on conflict in the Karamoja region.
The nutrition surveillance system was implemented by conducting regular surveys (multi-stage cluster sampling methodology), three times a year at the same time of year (May, September and December), collecting data on key anthropometric, health, food security and livelihoods and WASH indicators. By May 2012, by the end the District Health Office with support ACF-USA had conducted eight rounds of nutrition surveillance surveys and reports shared with stakeholders. This report presents the results of the meta-analysis of the eight surveys combined, creating a sample of 17,696 children under 5 years of age and 13,973 households.
The purpose of this study is to identify investment opportunities in the livestock sector in Uganda. Undertaken with financial support by the Netherlands Embassy (EKN) in Uganda, the study support’s EKN’s policy of stimulating food security and economic diplomacy in Uganda.
The Animal Health sector assessment was conducted by the team of 3 members; Gratian, Juliet and Regina in Abim, Kotido, Kaabong and outside Karamoja in Lira, Soroti and Mbale to understand the systemic functionality; major players, development actors, support functions, loopholes and challenges, actor/agency relations, drug supply chain as well as the formal and informal rules governing the sector.
The purpose of this evaluation is to provide an independent assessment on the merit and worth of the World Food Programme’s (WFP) strategy on livelihoods recovery in Karamoja1. The object of the evaluation is the DFID funded WFP Livelihood Programme (2010 -2013); an element of the Government of Uganda (GoU) led second Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF 2). This formative evaluation looks at the effectiveness, efficiency, relevance and the sustainability of the approaches that have been adopted by WFP and its partners.
The main objective of the 2011 UDHS was to obtain current statistical data on the Ugandan population’s demographic characteristics, family planning efforts, maternal mortality, and infant and child mortality. Another objective was to collect information on health care services and activities, antenatal, delivery, and postnatal care, children’s immunisations, and management of childhood diseases. In addition, the survey was designed to evaluate the nutritional status of mothers and children, to measure the prevalence of anaemia among women and children, to assess the level of knowledge about HIV and AIDS among men and women, and to determine the extent of interpersonal violence.
This is the fifth in a series of reports on the contribution of livestock to the economies of the IGAD member states. Building on methodologies developed in earlier studies of the role of livestock in the economies of Ethiopia, Kenya and Sudan, the present report undertakes an assessment of the contribution of livestock to Uganda’s national economy.
The sixth round of nutrition surveillance in Karamoja region was conducted through August/September 2011 in collaboration with District Health Offices (DHOs). Data were collected from 15-19/08/2011 in south Karamoja (Nakapiripirit, Amudat and Moroto/Napak) and from 31/08/2011-5/09/2011 in North Karamoja (Abim, Kaabong and Abim).
Assist the Veterinary Services of Uganda to assess FMD, and suggest enhancements to prevent further spread; examine and advise on strategic interventions to be implemented, and future coordination; develop a detailed short and medium term action plan for resource mobilization at national and regional levels.
A Report on Livelihoods and Human Security in the Karamoja Region of Uganda
As part of a larger project entitled “Livelihoods and Human Security in Karamoja,” this briefing paper presents findings on causal factors and broad patterns in out-migration among the Bokora population.
A quantitative analysis of a representative group of villages indicates that there has been a widespread increase in the utilization of services as well as improvement to well-being for residents of northern Karamoja since 2013
In our research in Karamoja since 2005, respondents often discuss problems with natural resource access and availability, and with comparable frequency they describe conflict with neighboring or nearby groups who are also accessing natural resources.
The phenomenon of out-migration from Karamoja is well known and widely discussed both by rural residents in the region and by officials in receiving cities
The resulting review gives PCHI high marks for its work on both the animal health and conflict resolution fronts, and in developing synergies between them
The objective of the study was to provide a nuanced understanding of the current threats to security at the household, community, district and regional levels, and to examine how these dynamics have changed in recent years.
The review is an initial exploratory and rapid assessment of financial services in the region and was conducted over a short time frame. The aim to flag issues for more detailed analysis and follow up, rather than being a comprehensive study on financial services.
This aim of this report is to document the experiences of veterinary service delivery in Karamoja and draw lessons to guide a strategy for future service provision, aligned to Uganda’s animal health policies and legislation.
The main purpose of this assessment is to document and analyze trends in labor and employment in the non-pastoral labor sectors within and outside Karamoja, and to investigate how individual- and macrolevel factors influence participation in the labor market.
This review examines regional policies and programming initiatives in East Africa and the Horn of Africa related to pastoral areas development, and their relevance to the Karamoja Region of Uganda.
This report is a review of agricultural development trends in the Karamoja sub-region of northeast Uganda. The review covered both crop farming and transhumance livestock management and examined agriculture at the levels of both policy and programming.
Research and observations over the past decade have pointed to the high prevalence of alcohol use in Karamoja. Brews made locally of sorghum and maize have sociocultural, nutritional, and economic significance.
In pastoralist and agro-pastoralist households in East Africa, livestock not cash are usually the main financial asset. Animals are sold to buy grain and to meet other domestic needs, and animals also provide food, especially milk, for direct human consumption.
This technical report describes the impacts of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions in the Karamoja sub-region of Uganda, based on field assessments in Amudat, Moroto and Abim Districts. The COVID-19 prevention guidelines that prompted total lockdown measures included market closure and travel restrictions which in turn affected the essential economic activities of many households, especially the poor.
In early 2016, a detailed report on livestock marketing in Karamoja, Uganda was published by the USAID/East Africa Resilience Learning Project, and described a dynamic trade and supply of livestock to markets in Uganda, Kenya, and South Sudan. As a follow-up to the 2016 report, in 2017 USAID/Uganda commissioned a short assessment to update information on livestock market trends and issues in Karamoja.
This Policy Brief explores the role of agriculture in Karamoja’s development, and in particular, the need to support balanced and integrated livestock-crop strategies.
Across the East Africa region livestock are an important asset for rural households, and livestock products contribute to human nutrition, and to local, national and regional economies. However, in some countries there has been a longstanding issue of under-investment in the livestock sector, and this problem has been associated with official underestimates of livestock’s contribution to national economies.
Many areas of East Africa are responding to growing demands for livestock products, from both within the region and internationally. In Ethiopia and Kenya, pastoralist and agropastoralist producers supply most of the animals and milk to domestic markets, and live animals and chilled meat for export. This supply from the region’s drylands is supported by a changing policy environment at regional and national levels, with increasing recognition of the economic contributions of extensive, mobile livestock production systems, and the value of these systems in areas with highly variable rainfall.
In the history of Karamoja, drought has been one of the most important types of disaster, with major impacts on livelihoods. For livestock-owning households, drought can push both wealthy and poorer households into destitution, and the recovery of herds, their main form of financial capital, takes many years. Drought also has serious impacts on crop production and can decimate harvests. In the case of livestock interventions, there have been notable developments in effective drought response in many countries in the wider East Africa region, including novel partnerships between government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private sector to provide early and more cost-effective programming.
This Briefing Paper presents the main findings from the review report. The review considered the roles of the National Emergency Coordination Center (NECOC) and District Disaster Management Committees (DDMCs) in collecting and analyzing early warning information, and in timely response to drought.
The third Karamoja Integrated Development Plan (hereafter KIDP3) covers the period 2021/22 to 2025/26. The design of the KIDP3 was preceded by a review of the performance of the KIDP2, both of which were commissioned by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and Ministry for Karamoja Affairs (MfKA), and supported by the Karamoja Resilience Support Unit (KRSU) of Tufts University.
This report calculates the direct use value of livestock in Karamoja Sub-region, Uganda. The concept of direct use value pulls together under one heading all the various economic benefits derived from livestock.
Following disarmament in Karamoja, north east Uganda, which began in 2010 and continues to date, the consumption, production and sale of alcohol experienced a dramatic increase. Consequently, health, household wealth and relationships have been significantly affected as a result of the negative effects on communities and individuals.
As Karamoja is a predominantly a pastoralist region, market trading of livestock is key to the region’s economy. However, a number of factors – ranging from policies and seasonality to price trends and market types – prevent livestock value chain actors from maximising their income and achieving livelihood security.
Child malnutrition and stunting have posed challenges to populations in East Africa and the Horn of Africa for several decades. However, rates have not only continued to increase during this time, but now have a broader impact: for many years, it was primarily youngsters in agrarian communities that bore the brunt of the impact. Today, the effects are being experienced by both adults and children in pastoralist communities, and are exacerbated by ongoing population growth.
Although extensive research has been conducted into pastoralism, the sector – from its actors and systems to economic and environmental impacts – remains largely misunderstood. This is exacerbated by the fact that those living and working in pastoral communities often have trouble effectively expressing the processes they engage in and the benefits of pastoralism.
In mid-2020, the Karamoja Resilience Support Unit (KRSU) conducted a rapid assessment that described the impact of COVID-19 containment measures on rural livelihoods in Karamoja (Arasio et al. 20201). The assessment also forecast how disease restrictions would affect livelihoods over the following six to eight months (into early 2021). The initial assessment examined household wellbeing during COVID-19 relative to a normal (good) and bad (drought) year in Karamoja’s three main livelihood zones, represented by Amudat District (predominantly pastoralist but with some emerging crop production), Moroto District (predominantly agropastoralist), and Abim District (with high dependence on crop production, but also using livestock).
This scoping report investigates barriers, benefits, and “terms of inclusion” for girls’ education in the Karamoja sub-region of Uganda. Karamoja has some of the lowest education indicators in the country, with females generally faring much worse than males. The report examines the experiences and perceptions of girls, male and female community members, and teachers about girls’ education in the region, drawing on an assessment that took place from June to August 2022 in 10 sites in four districts: Amudat, Kaabong, Moroto, and Napak.
After nearly 10 years of relative peace, conflict and insecurity returned to the Karamoja sub-region of northeastern Uganda starting in 2019. This assessment investigates this resumption of conflict and insecurity from the perspective of the communities most involved and affected.
This briefing paper presents learnings from global, and specifically East African, experience to support concerned stakeholders in thinking transformatively about education inclusion in Karamoja. While Karamoja is also home to agriculturalists, this paper focuses specifically on education among those pursuing livelihoods as pastoralists and agro-pastoralists, and particularly on the education of girls in those communities.
This knowledge synthesis focuses on violent conflict in the Karamoja sub-region of northeastern Uganda. While violence and conflict both can and do take many forms, this synthesis takes as its focus the phenomenon of cattle raiding and associated violence. This knowledge synthesis briefly describes the concept and role of cattle raiding within pastoral societies in East Africa and the Karamoja Cluster and then examines different historical periods and experiences of violent conflict associated with cattle raiding within the Karamoja sub-region.
This real-time review aims to document the events that led to Karamoja’s hunger crisis in 2022, the reporting of the worsening situation by early warning systems, and the responses of the Government of Uganda and the international aid community. The review took place from the September 27–October 21, 2022.
In July 2022 the Ugandan media reported that 900 people had died of hunger or hunger-related diseases in the Karamoja sub-region since February 2022, and that 8 out of 10 households had limited or no food.i
This report summarizes planned humanitarian and development activities of major donors in the Karamoja sub-region
An effective early warning system (EWS) is a prerequisite for timely response to avert and mitigate the impacts of disasters that affect pastoralist and agro-pastoralist communities. Whereas there exist various forms of EWS in Uganda, the main concerns have been whether the early warning information is timely, accurate, accessible, and elicits early action. These questions point at inefficiencies in the conventional EWS in the country and the importance of the indigenous early warning system (IEWS) used by rural communities. These indigenous systems are especially important where conventional early warning information is inaccessible or coarse and therefore not suitable for guiding location-specific decisions.
Water and rangeland resources are the basis for livestock production in pastoralist areas of Africa and therefore have major impacts on pastoral livelihoods. Households with insufficient access to water or productive rangeland experience suboptimal herd growth and production, with associated negative impacts on the income and nutritious foods that livestock provide.
This analysis is motivated by the concerns of international donors and other stakeholders regarding the persistent challenges in advancing educational outcomes for the majority of the population in the Karamoja sub-region of Uganda. Substantial improvements in enrolment and retention rates in Karamoja have occurred over the past eight years, but these remain significantly behind the national average, and drop-out rates after primary school are extremely high, especially for female students.i This analysis uses existing primary and secondary data to investigate various approaches for education in the sub-region.
To gauge understanding of how KRSU’s work benefits and is utilized in Karamoja, a rapid review was conducted in November and December 2023. The review involved face-to-face interviews with a number of the organization’s partners – including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), universities, academics, and donors.