The French Embassy in collaboration with the ACTED Uganda have signed an agreement to provide food aid to the Karamoja region.
The Food Aid Programme grant worth € 535,000 will majorly focus on vulnerable households in Nakapiripirit and Amudat districts to tackle food security and nutritional health for a period of one year.
Food Security is one of the key pillars to be addressed if we are to have inclusion in the social and economic development spaces.
Karamoja region in the North Eastern part of Uganda is one of those areas that have struck hard most times due to floods, drastic unpredictable weather, long dry spells thus leading to hunger and malnutrition.
However, there are many interventions that have been done to address the situation at hand and among them are the French Embassy in Uganda.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, H.E Xavier Sticker said that they have worked with ACTED Uganda for the last 6 years and have been impressed by the results achieved in the previous years and their legacy still remains.
“Through the Food Aid Programme about 1,500 households will be targeted and over 21,000 people shall benefit with 66 percent of women giving preference to pregnant ladies, lactating mothers and children under 24 months.
This is an Inclusive initiative and we shall also aim at improving their agricultural practices and skills for vegetable gardens and this will help in the fight against poverty, improve agro- ecology and also address other environmental challenges” added Sticker.
The Country Director, ACTED, Uganda Amelia Savell- Boss expressed her delight for the launch of the project that has a lot of impact in those areas.
“We have worked with very many partners and this is wonderful. We have been in Uganda since 2007 and the areas of Karamoja have a lot of food insecurity and it is why we are going there with Caritas Moroto to implement the project. There is a need to support the programme through agricultural production since they are semi – arid and intend to have climate smart practices that adapt to the best way because they are usually affected by floods.” said Amelia.
She also asserted that their activities will include; Access to cash transfer, enhancing agricultural skills for vegetable gardens for 1,080, restoration of degraded environment (reducing soil erosion, mitigation of climate effect changes, improving water quality, promoting healthy eating habits in schools, raising awareness about nutritious diets both in schools and homes.
