Title: The effects of reduced Precipitation and Vegetation cover on Food Security and Conflict Dynamics in Karamoja Pastoral Area, Uganda
1The effects of reduced Precipitation and
Vegetation cover on Food Security and Conflict
Dynamics in Karamoja Pastoral Area, Uganda
- Presentation by Victor Onenchan
- Area Coordinator ACTED,
- Northern Uganda
2Presentations
- Background to Karamoja
- Climate change Variables in Karamoja
- Food Security in Karamoja (Accessibility and
Physical availability of food) - Climate change and conflicts in Karamoja
- What has been done so far?
- Set backs to current efforts
- What can be done?
3Karamoja Region
- Located in North Eastern Part of Uganda
- Estimated population of 942,363
- Karamoja has been administratively divided into
five districts Kaabong, Abim, Kotido, Moroto and
Nakapiriprit - The most striking physical features of the
region are a vast major erosion surface known as
the Karamoja plain, Mountain Masses (mainly
volcanic) that abruptly emerge from this plain,
and the broad sandy beds of fast rising
intermittent rivers that form the drainage system
of the plain and the scattered vegetation.
4Agro -ecological / Livelihoods Zones of Karamoja
5 Climate change variables Precipitation and
Vegetation cover cover
- Precipitation
- ? Rainfall is unpredictable
- ?. It is erratic and has torrential down pours
- ? Very short rainy seasons and long dry spells
- ? No permanent surface water
- ? Rainy seasons Temperatures (18-200 C MINIMUM)
and (28-300 C Maximum) - ? Dry season temperatures go well beyond 38 C
sometimes up to 42 C - Vegetation
- ? Reduction in Vegetation cover by (4-8) in the
last 10years - ? Change from Savannah grassland to steppe to
Thickets and Shrubs - ? Massive soil erosion/ gullies
6FOOD SECURITYDefinition and ConceptFood
Security Based on the definition from the1996
World Food Summit security is defined as when all
the people, at all the time, have physical and
economic access to sufficient, safe and
nutritious food that meet their dietary needs and
food preferences for an active and healthy life
- Crop production restricted to Green and yellow
belt and Livestock restricted to Red and Yellow
belts - Single cropping season (April-September) with
inter space of dry season (June and July) - WFP first responds in 1963
- Droughts In 1982,83, 86, 87, 91, 92, 97, 98, 99,
2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006/7, expected in
2009-01-19 - 2002/ 2003 there was Elnino phenomenon (Effect of
Climate change causing rains from Indian Ocean) - PPR outbreaks in Karamoja
7The Implication of low precipitation on Primary
Productivity
Crops Livestock
1 Only short maturity crops can grow well (Epuripur) 1) Increased migratory movements towards Kenya and inside Uganda (Teso, Lango and Acholi Area)
2 Small ecological footprint to supply the all Karamoja region 2) Increased frequency of conflict over natural resources and raids
3 Large parts of the productive areas are degazetted for Wildlife protection 3) Increased mortality of livestock
4 Continuous crop failures a disincentive to farmers to more production
5 Increase in Population (3.2 compared to the 2.4 average for sub-Saharan Africa)
8Markets and Market Prices in Karamoja
- Most goods (fresh foods) in the markets come from
outside Karamoja - Insecurity high on roads
- Limited variety in the markets
- Prices are exorbitantly high (E.G 1kg of beans is
1EUR and yet in Mbale (50 Scents) - Households without livestock to sell are
suffering - People eat wild foods, sell fire wood.which are
signs of deepening food security - Increase in gross acute Malnutrition
- High Infant mortality
- Early Marriages
- Out migration (Begging inn the streets of Mbale
and Kampala) (60 of beggars in Kampala are from
Karamoja
9Security in Karamoja1) Natural Resource
Conflict2) Banditry
Raiding Past Raiding Present
Raiding as a survival responds (after famine of livestock diseases) when stock are depleted, (done for restocking) Any time is raiding time, for economic gains
Closed only within Karamoja Raiding within and Neighbours
Controlled by Council of elders Controlled by youth who have power(Money)
Use of spears and non lethal weapons guns
Not self-centred (for community) Self centred
10Guns in Karamoja (?)
- Issues at hand
- ?Increase conflict between the Karamojongs and
Neighbours - Increased conflict within Karamoja
- Break down of civil order and civil including
social organizational hierarchy (Powerful youth
have emerged suppressing elders) - ? Increased Banditry
11What has been done?
- ? Government establishing Ministry for Karamoja
- ? Cordon and search Operation by the UPDF
- ? KIDDP
- ? WFP doing Food Distribution
- ? Donors EC and ECHO, (DMI and DP2)-ACTED
implementing activities
12Set backs to current efforts
- ? Rapid population growth rate in Karamoja (3.2)
- ? Limited Government Budgetary allocation to the
Ministry in charge of Karamoja - ? There is no Contingency plan and no contingency
funs in place for Karamoja - ? General policies not specific to Karamoja
- ? Too much time required because of the
conservativeness of our society
13What can be done?
- ? Specific Policies to Karamoja situation needs
to be developed - ? Seek sustainable solutions to Karamoja problem
(Engaged in regional Solution for the gun
paradox) - Environmental decision making processes needs to
be effected from the grass roots - ? Develop a contingency plan in place for
Karamoja - ? Partners should look for more sustainable
solutions rather than Food Aid