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. In common with other African pastoralist and agropastoralist areas,

A genuine localized approach to early warning should shift the approach to more of a partnership and coacceptance of the strengths and weaknesses of indigenous and conventional systems.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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 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 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 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.

This report summarizes planned humanitarian and development activities of major donors in the Karamoja sub-region

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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 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.

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.

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 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

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.

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.

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. 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 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.

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.

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 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 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.

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 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.

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).

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.

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 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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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

Evaluation of USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA)-funded Community-Based Animal Health Worker (CAHW) programs in the Horn of Africa

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.

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.