Uganda, 03 Feb-(ANA)-Severe drought in northeastern Uganda's Karamoja region is threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands and the government has declared an emergency.
"Government has recognised that Karamoja should for now be treated as an emergency area and food must [quickly] be distributed to this area to avert this problem," said the minister in charge of the region, Aston Kajara.
The operation launched at Acherere, MathenikoCounty, by the government and the UN World Food Programme (WFP) aims to save 970,000 people from starvation.
Officials warned that the dry conditions and acute food shortages, which have pushed Karamoja to near starvation, are unlikely to improve before October when the next harvest is due.
"There has been an acute food shortage in Karamoja subregion for quite some time now," Aston Kajara said at the launch of the operation.
"We appeal for more support as the situation seems to re-occur every time," the minister said. "Money should be mobilised to purchase sufficient food for Karamoja so that the people should not die."
"On the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe"
According to WFP, Karamoja is "on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe, following a drought that reduced agricultural output to as low as 30 percent in some areas in 2008". (ANA)
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