U.S. gives $16m for food aid in Uganda

The U.S. embassy in Uganda, 000 refugees living in settlements throughout Uganda, as well as 155,000 people from extremely vulnerable households in Karamoja.

The WFP food basket for these two groups consists of cereals, pulses, vegetable oil, salt and for some groups, super cereal (fortified corn-soya blend).

This U.S. contribution will enable WFP to provide about eight months of food assistance to more than 440,000 people including over 130,000 South Sudanese refugees who have arrived since December 2013.  

“This contribution comes at a crucial time when WFP has more beneficiaries to feed with already stretched resources,” said WFP Acting Country Representative Michael Dunford. “It will enable us to ensure refugees and food-insecure people in Karamoja have food at the most critical times of the year.”  

With USAID support, WFP has been able to pilot a cash transfer program in the refugee settlements.  Dunford noted, “USAID’s backing of the cash transfer pilot program has been crucial in providing a more dignified transfer to the refugees, benefits the host community by increasing market demand as well as being a more cost effective intervention. With additional planned USAID support, we will be doing a number of assessments this year to inform an appropriate expansion of this pilot to more refugee settlements.”  

USAID Uganda Mission Director Leslie Reed explained: “This donation highlights the U.S. government’s commitment to addressing the humanitarian food and nutrition needs among both refugees and extremely vulnerable households in Uganda. 

It is a combination of traditional in-kind food aid and local and regional procurement that directly benefits local Ugandan famers. Due to recent food aid reforms, USAID’s Office of Food for Peace is able to purchase commodities on the local market, helping both people in need as well as local businesses.”

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