The hunger season started two months earlier than normal in Karamoja, where households are moderately food insecure following a poor 2007 harvest, below-normal availability of pasture and water for livestock, and increased civil insecurity. About 66,000 people will have received food assistance, by early March 2008, and needs may increase until the next harvest in September.
Households in Amuria, Katakwi, and Lira districts that were affected by floods in 2007 and have no food stocks are receiving food assistance. Food security is only expected to improve after the first-season harvests in June/July harvests, if the season performs well.
A normal harvest for the long-term sorghum and second-season crops in northern Uganda for households that were able to cultivate is helping ensure household food stocks, access to food, and food security. This is hopefully the beginning of improved access to land and production and better food security prospects, depending on continued civil security in the region. Normal stock and market supplies are ensuring sustained food security in other bimodal parts of the country.
Food prices have started to increase unseasonably in many markets, due to a combination of increased local and regional demand and high transport costs. Potentially high demand from Kenya following poor harvests in that country may maintain an upward pressure on prices.
