KARAMOJA | FOOD | SEEDS

KARAMOJA - Government has dispatched 90metric tons of quick maturing seeds worth sh800m to the nine districts of Karamoja sub region, as one of the short-term interventions to combat food insecurity.

The minister of State for Agriculture Rtd. Maj Bwino Fred Kyakulaga explained that the seeds include 30 metric tons of cowpeas, 30 metric tons of green grain seeds and 30 metric tons of white tepary seeds.

“All the seeds we have sent mature in only 53 days and a farmer can start harvesting and eating their nutritious leaves in 21 days,” he explained.

It was in mid-July when the press started reporting stories of the food insecurity in Karamoja that was attributed to the prolonged drought.

According to a recent survey on food insecurity by the Agriculture Ministry, Karamoja Sub Region is the most food insecure with almost 50% of the population facing food stress.

The same survey indicated that sub-regions including Acholi, Lango, Bukedi and Busoga are also food stressed coming second to Karamoja.

Kyakulaga indicated that the intervention is a quick affirmative action by the government to ease the food insecurity in the sub-region, following the shifting of policy from providing farm input to agricultural communities to the Parish Development Model.

The minister said the distribution of the seeds to the district is based on a consultation that his ministry carried out in Karamojong involving the leaders in the area.

Seeds distribution

Abim district is to get five tons of cowpeas, six tons of white tepary beans and four tons of green gram seeds.

Kaabong is to get four tons of cowpeas, four tons of white tepary beans and four tons of green gram beans.

Karenga is to get 1.5tons of cowpeas, three tons of white tepary beans and two tons of green grams.

Kotido district is to get three tons of white tepary beans, and two tons of green gram.

Government through the National Agriculture Advisory Services (NAADS) got the above seeds from three companies Equator Seeds, Crown Seeds and Savana Seeds who are also responsible for distributing them. (All Photos by Lawrence Mulondo)

Moroto is to get five tons of cowpeas and five tons of green gram

Nabilatuk is to get 1.5 cowpeas, three tons of white tepary bean and five tons of green gram.

Nakapiripirit five tons of cowpeas and five tons of green gram

Amudat five tons of cowpeas, eight tons of white tepary beans and 1.5 tons of green gram

Napak has four tons of cowpeas, four tons of white tepary beans and four tons of green gram.

More plans to fight food insecurity

Kyakulaga explained that a short-term plan to fight food insecurity involves giving food relief by the office of the prime minister and distribution of quick maturing seeds by the agriculture ministry for Karamoja sub region.

For the Mid-term intervention, the minister revealed that the government has ordered the Prisons services, NARO, NAGric and others to plant 100,000 hectares of maize, soya bean and sogum for this current season.

He said for next season, they are going to mobilise large-scale farmers and support them to plant 100,000 hectares of the same crops.

In the long-term, Kyakulaga said the government is to provide irrigation technology so that farmers can be able to plant off-season or in a prolonged drought.

The Minister for Karamoja, Mary Gorretti Kitutu, explained that one of the reasons why the people of Karamoja are facing food shortages is because of the insecurity that has been in the region for a while.

“Women would handily go out to their farms to grow food for families in fear of being raped by people who had guns,” she explained.

“I thank the UPDF for fighting hard to see that people are now leaving peace and can restart their farm work.”

Kitutu noted that the metrological sector has assured them that Karamoja will receive rain until mid-December, meaning people will be able to see their food grow within the given period.

She pledged that the ministry is to mobilise men and women of Karamoja to actively take part in farming activities.

Government through the National Agriculture Advisory Services (NAADS) got the above seeds from three companies Equator Seeds, Crown Seeds and Savana Seeds who are also responsible for distributing them.

Dr. Samuel Mugasi the Executive Director of He said they have written to the district Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) and district agricultural officers to give out the seeds to the most vulnerable people.

"We are not targeting people who can afford to get themselves food. We want people who find it difficult to get food to plant the seeds to fight food insecurity in their homes," he explained

What political leaders say

Janet Grace Akech Okori-Moe the female Member of Parliament for Abim district and the chairperson of the parliamentary committee on Agriculture thanked government for sending people seeds, saying it is more sustainable to grow their food than receiving from others.

She guided that in future when sending such seeds to farming, they should be accompanied by cassava cutting and potato vein.

Betty Louke Chelain, the woman MP for Amudat district rallied the people of Karamoja to follow government programs to alleviate both food insecurity and poverty.