UN launches strategy to empower Karamoja households

The United Nations (UN) has launched a resilience strategy, aimed at empowering and transforming the lives of the vulnerable households in the Karamoja region.

The strategy which is going to be implemented by three UN agencies, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food Program (WFP) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), is also aimed at strengthening government capacities.

The three agencies are collaborating to implement the strategy, in order to enable Karamoja recover, reorganize and develop after experiencing external stresses and disturbances, for a long period of time.

"This is an extremely significant development. It is a commitment to collaboration, efficiency and demonstration of results in Karamoja," the FAO Country Representative, Alhaji Jallow, said.

He added that working collectively will multiply the impact of their work, reduce transaction costs for communities and the government, and allow individual organizations to more powerfully use their experience in strengthening service delivery systems.

Karamoja which is located in the North Eastern part of Uganda is the hardest hit region in the country by climatic, economic, conflict and health related challenges.

These include, uneven rainfall, livestock disease outbreaks, crop pests, high food prices, food insecurity, livestock losses, inadequate access to education and health services, and inadequate access to water and sanitation.

According to Lydia Wamala the communications officer WFP, the Joint Resilience Strategy will focus on diversifying livelihood strategies and intensifying production in order to increase and improve household income and food security, respectively.

The strategy will also focus on improving basic social services to strengthen vulnerable households' human capital, establishing predictable safety nets and strengthening disaster risk management support.

Aida Girma, the Country Representative UNICEF said that upon implementation, the strategy will strengthen basic services for children and women, and will increase their resilience to shocks, thus keeping them alive, healthy, in school and protected.

"Building household resilience cannot be sustained unless the overall system to deliver the services is strengthened," she said.    

The acting WFP Country Director, Michael Dunford said that though Karamoja continues to face significant socio-economic challenges, partly due to climatic changes, opportunities for development have never been riper.

"With increased security, reduced poverty levels and a renewed commitment by the government, partners can achieve more through enhanced collaboration," he said.