DF Deputy President Pascal Amuriat Calls for Urgent National Action as Hunger and Climate Crisis Deepens

By Peterson Hiirya.

The Democratic Front (DF) has urged the Ugandan government and other stakeholders to take immediate action to address the worsening hunger crisis and the growing impact of climate change across the country.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the party’s deputy president for Eastern Uganda, Hon. Amuriat Pascal warned that prolonged drought, erratic rainfall, and repeated crop failures have pushed thousands of households into severe food insecurity, creating what he described as a humanitarian emergency.

Amuriat said regions such as Teso, Karamoja, Sebei, Lango, Acholi, Busoga, West Nile, and other drought-prone areas have experienced several consecutive seasons of failed rains, devastating agriculture, which remains the primary source of livelihood for millions of Ugandans.

In farming and livestock-dependent communities, especially Teso and Karamoja, crop losses, livestock deaths, shrinking pasture, and drying water sources have left many families without food or income.

He warned that hunger is having widespread social consequences, including increasing school dropout rates as children struggle to learn on empty stomachs.

Many vulnerable households are surviving on just one meal a day, while others go for days without food. According to the Democratic Front, the crisis threatens to reverse progress made in education, healthcare, and poverty reduction if urgent measures are not taken.

Amuriat argued that the situation should not be treated solely as a natural disaster but as a national development challenge requiring strong political commitment, coordinated leadership, and long-term planning.

DF called on the government to immediately declare the hardest-hit districts humanitarian emergency areas and provide emergency food assistance to the most vulnerable groups, including children under five, pregnant and breastfeeding women, elderly persons, persons with disabilities, child-headed households, and refugees.

The party emphasized that relief distribution should be transparent, non-partisan, and based strictly on need.

To improve future preparedness, the Democratic Front proposed establishing a permanent National Drought and Climate Emergency Fund to finance emergency food supplies, water trucking, livestock support, crop recovery programmes, and community resilience initiatives during droughts.

Recognizing the growing risks of relying on rain-fed agriculture, the party urged increased investment in irrigation infrastructure.

Its recommendations include expanding small-scale irrigation schemes, constructing valley dams and tanks, developing community boreholes, promoting solar-powered irrigation systems, strengthening irrigation cooperatives, and investing in water harvesting technologies, particularly in climate-vulnerable regions.

The party also called for greater investment in climate-smart agriculture through the distribution of drought-resistant seeds, early-maturing crop varieties, climate-resilient livestock breeds, and affordable farm inputs.

It emphasized strengthening agricultural extension services to equip farmers with knowledge on climate adaptation and sustainable farming practices.

Additionally, the Democratic Front urged the government to improve weather forecasting and early warning systems, operationalize district disaster preparedness committees, restore wetlands and river catchments, expand afforestation and reforestation programmes, and strengthen environmental protection efforts.

The statement further recommended expanding social protection programmes such as cash transfers, school feeding initiatives, nutrition support for children, and public works employment to cushion vulnerable households.

It also appealed to Parliament to increase funding for climate adaptation, irrigation, agricultural research, disaster preparedness, and rural water development.

Finally, the party called on development partners and regional organizations to support both emergency relief and long-term climate resilience while urging all leaders to work together to strengthen Uganda’s food security and protect lives.