Food Assistance Fact Sheet - Uganda

April 4, 2013

Food Security Situation 

CIA World Factbook

• The food security situation in Uganda has generally improved over the last few years. However, challenges remain in distinct areas, with the northeastern Karamoja region considered the most food insecure area. The combination of frequent drought, civil insecurity, animal disease outbreaks, severe environmental degradation, extreme poverty, poor hygiene and other factors has eroded local capacity in Karamoja to cope with repeated shocks.

• Uganda has seen gradual improvements in human security and development since the 1990s. Specifically, the proportion of the population living below the national poverty line declined from 56 to 23 percent between 1992-1993 and 2009-2010. 

• Despite these improvements, Uganda's ranks 161 out of 187 countries worldwide on the UN Development Program (UNDP) 2011 Human Development Index.  Half of Uganda’s population lives below the international poverty line.

Food Assistance Programs

• The Office of Food for Peace (FFP) now targets approximately 404,632 food-insecure Ugandans and 163,000 refugees in northern and southwestern Uganda.

• FFP partners with the UN World Food Program (WFP), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), ACDI/VOCA, and Mercy Corps to provide assistance through a variety of activities including agriculture production, market linkage and small business development HIV/AIDS awareness, infrastructure development, maternal and child health, water, sanitation, and hygiene.

Food for Peace Contributions

Total Contributions:

Fiscal Year 2013 Contribution Breakdown:

*FY 2013 figures represent estimated contributions to date.

Food Security Situation information provided by WFP and UNDP as of April 2013

Country Specific Guidance

• Uganda Country Specific Information Fiscal Year 2012