Food Security Assessment Points to Insecurity in Uganda

An overview of the food security situation among the 416,000 Internally Displaced Peoples in the war affected district of Gulu, northern Uganda.

Action Against Hunger USA has just carried out a food security assessment in the war affected district of Gulu, in northern Uganda. According to the World Food Program (WFP), over 416,000 people are internally displaced in the area, i.e. 89% of the total population.

Food Security Assessment, Gulu IDP Camps, Uganda [653KB]

Summary of Findings

The main findings and recommendations of this report are:

• Plot sizes for agriculture are being reduced - the average household plot size was only 1.25 acres (.51ha) in 2003 vs. 2.2 acres (.9ha) in 2002
• Estimated average incomes have been reduced from US $465 in 1999 to $120 in 2003. At the same time household expenditures for food are increasing.
• The seasonal hunger gap has increased to three months.
• Food stocks are highly vulnerable to post-harvest losses, contamination, and looting.

If the situation continues in this manner the Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs) are at risk for the following:

• Increased malnutrition especially for the population of children under-five years of age
• Seed sources may become insecure

If such insecurity persists, the following steps will be required:

• WFP food rations will have to be maintained at a 100% level
• Distribution of maize meal instead of whole grain maize
• Regular monitoring of nutrition and food security situation
• Reduction of necessary household expenditures
• Increased involvement in food security outside of distribution