Uganda: Northern Crisis Stretching WFP Resources to 'Breaking Point'
Email This Page
Print This Page
Visit The Publisher's Site
UN Integrated Regional Information Networks
May 13, 2004
Posted to the web May 13, 2004
Nairobi
The ongoing crisis in northern Uganda has stretched the UN World Food Programme (WFP)
to the limit, and unless significant donations are received in the next few weeks, it
will soon be unable to feed the 1.6 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the
region.
The WFP requires US $56 million before the end of the year. "But unless significant
donations are received in the coming weeks, stocks of cereals will be exhausted by
July. Shortfalls of beans and other food aid items will follow shortly afterwards,"
WFP said in a statement on Thursday. "WFP needs $21 million now to continue to supply
food until August, when the harvest is due."
"The number of people in need has doubled in the past year, and the sheer scale of the
crisis is stretching WFP's resources in Uganda to breaking point. New donations are
urgently required to prevent the crisis worsening dramatically," said the statement.
WFP country director for Uganda, Ken Davies, told IRIN in Kampala: "We were always
going to hit the wall in July. Now I have this huge shortfall coming up and I have to
start screaming about it."
The UN food agency currently provides 80 percent of the minimum amount of food people
need to survive in the troubled Ugandan districts of Gulu, Kitgum and Pader. "This is
because we estimated that the people in those districts are able to access roughly 20
percent of their minimum nutritional requirements," said Davis.
WFP said it was experiencing shortages of foodstuffs like cereals, pulses, vegetable
oils, and corn soya blend for children. "If new funding is not forthcoming, WFP will
be forced to cut rations drastically. Assessments have shown that people not assisted
by WFP can meet only 20 percent of their minimum food requirements for survival," it
said.
It said it had this month been forced to cut fortified food for young children from a
standard household ration so as to save dwindling supplies for therapeutic feeding
centres and primary schools.
According to WFP, when food supplies last ran short between November 2002 and February
2003, there was a corresponding surge in malnutrition rates among young children. "WFP
is now appealing for cash contributions to buy maize and fortified blended food for
malnourished children, both of which are available for purchase in Uganda," it added.
Davies said: "Vicious raids by marauding rebels create a climate of terror that
prevents farmers from reaching their fields to plant crops. The people have lost an
entire growing season, so even if security improves, the next harvest for most people
will not be until the end of this year."
Relevant Links
East Africa
Aid
Conflict, Peace and Security
Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs
Uganda
"We are dealing with a critical, ongoing crisis," he stressed.
The 18-year rebellion against the government of Uganda by the rebel Lord's Resistance
Army has caused the massive population displacements in the region. WFP said the
rebels had continued to attack IDPs camps, burn homes, loot assets, abduct children,
rape and kill in a brutal campaign of violence, and to disrupt travel by ambushing
vehicles on the main roads.
--------------------------------------------
This service is hosted on the Infocom network
http://www.infocom.co.ug
