ARUA

The refuge and host community from Zombo and Terego districts are the latest beneficiaries of a project aimed at ensuring food security and livelihood resilience for the refugees and host communities.

The 12 months project on combating food insecurity among the most vulnerable individuals and Households in Terego and Zombo worth sh3.6b was launched by OXFAM with funding from Norwegian Agency for Development Corporation (NORAD) in Arua City on Friday.

The major objective of the project is to improve food security through increased access and availability of nutritious food for 17,000 most vulnerable individuals in Terego and Zombo districts as well as to increase local climate-resilient food production and income of small-scale food producers in targeted areas.

The project will support a wide range of activities that promote climate-resilient food production and income of small-scale food producers as well as food availability in local markets; increase most vulnerable people’s immediate access to food through cash-based programs; and enhance nutrition of particularly children in Zombo and Terego.

While launching the project, Edward Mwebaze, the head of programs at OXFAM Uganda says, the initiative aimed at combating the stress caused by influx of refugees in the region in terms of food quantity and limited capacity to produce sufficient food due to unreliable climatic conditions.

Edward Mwebaze, the Head of Programs at Oxfam Uganda.

“Climate change and destruction of the environment has further worsened the capacity of the community members to produce food adequate enough for their feeding and to generate income and this was something we saw as critical need at this particular level to ensure that, the communities do not further deteriorate by increasing food production for consumption and income generation”, Mwebaze said.

Esther Ainembabazi, the Field Associate United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says, the project fits into the strategic direction of UNHCR and calls upon the implementing partners to embrace coordination with other livelihood partners so as to avoid duplication of services.

“We appreciate that you are looking at inclusive growth for both refugee and host community and fair trade looking at the markets but beyond that, there are three things I want to bring to your attention, the targeting, beneficiary identification and coordination which is key in any implementation, ensure that, you attend the monthly livelihood coordination meeting both at the settlement and district levels because that is where we encounter challenges of service duplication”, said Ainembabazi.

Partners and beneficiaries welcome intervention

John Jal Dak, the former Refugee Welfare Council three chairperson for Rhino camp Refugee Settlement and now the Executive Director Youth Social Advocacy Team (Y-SAT) one of the implementing partners confirms the timeliness of the project to the refugee population amidst the food prioritization strategy that has seen increased food insecurity among the refugee community in West Nile.

Col Pius Alitema, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Zombo says, despite the district not hosting direct refugees, it has been characterized by asylum seekers fleeing conflicts from D.R.Congo.

Col Pius Alitema, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Zombo.

Settle in refugee settlements.

He says, their main beneficiary target will be the community members who have been offering help to host runaway refugees and asylum seekers from D.R.Congo who are not willing to go and settle in the refugee camps.

The leaders from the two districts with the project documents after the launch in Arua City.

Government warns on NGO politics and ghost beneficiaries

Jena Toma, the deputy Refugee Desk Officer (RDO) Arua warned the implementing partner of the rampant NGO politics that has seen much of the budgeted project funds go for operational costs and salaries as opposed to the service delivery to the beneficiaries.

“NGO world has a lot of politics, no wonder we have over 50 livelihood partners in Imvepi and Rhino camp refugee settlements but there is no impact of the intervention because most of the monies go back to the NGO staff inform of allowances and salaries and beneficiaries do not even get half of the money, we even have ghost beneficiaries”, Jena said.

Richard Obia, the District Community Development Officer (DCDO) Terego advised the implementing partners to enter into a formal memorandum of understanding with the host districts and avail necessary documentation for easy monitoring.

Between June and August 2022, in a survey conducted by OXFAM on integrated Food Security Phase Classification, 21% of the population (857,000 people) in refugee-hosting districts experienced high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 and above). Of the total 12 districts analyzed, 9 districts were classified in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis), while the other three were classified in IPC Phase 2 (Stressed).