Overall, Karamoja Sub-Region is the worst performing sub-region of Greater Northern Uganda in terms of household food security. Only 18.8% of households in Karamoja Sub-Region are food secure. This is generally the status quo throughout the sub-region.

The state of food security in Karamoja, by district, and in order of the most food secure is as follows:

• 29.1% of households in Amudat District are food secure.
• 25.4% of households in Karenge District are food secure.
• 18.9% of households in Moroto District are food secure.
• 18.2% of households in Abim District are food secure.
• 17.3% of households in Nakapiripirit District are food secure.
• 16.3% of households in Kaabong District are food secure.
• 16.3% of households in Napak District are food secure.
• 15.6% of households in Kotido District are food secure.
• 12.4% of households in Nabilatuk District are food secure

With a population of nearly 1.5 million it means thousands of people of Karamoja have difficulties accessing sufficient food. Since, over three quarters of households in Karamoja experience:

“Frequent and prolonged periods of insufficient food intake due to lack of money and other resources, forcing members of those households to skip meals or go an entire day without a meal.”

An “IPC Acute Food Insecurity and Acute Malnutrition Analysis, July 2024-June 2025,” published on reliefweb, gives qualitative insights into why low household food security in Karamoja:

Harsh environmental conditions including severe droughts and floods.

The sate of food security in Karamoja, however, is inconsistent with the finding that 10.7% of persons aged 10 years and above in Karamoja have “probable general psychological distress;” which is a lower proportion than the national average which is 12.0%.

Considering Karamoja is the least food insecure sub-region in the country, it is a wonder that more of its people 10 years and above aren’t afflicted with “probable general psychological distress.”

Be that as it may, the people of Karamoja have a life expectancy of 69 years, nine years less than the highest regional life expectancy – 78 years in Teso Sub-Region.

Information herein is extracted from the most recent Uganda National Population and Household Census Report, by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics. A PDF copy of the report is available to download free here.

Uganda Bureau of Statistics measures food poverty using the Food Insecurity Experience Scale.

The state of food security in Karamoja, indeed, justifies the joint intervention of the Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief (CPAR) and CPAR Uganda, the Dr. Paul Hargrave Memorial Center Human Development Project that is intended to benefit disadvantaged communities of Greater Northern Uganda, of which Acholi is among.

To LEARN MORE about the work of CPAR Uganda and MAKE A DONATION click here.