Table 9:  Uganda ~ Chronology of Key Events

normal 

RAINFALL 

periods    1

st

 season April  June (North) and March June (South);  2

nd

 season Aug Oct (N) and Aug Nov (S)

normal 

HARVEST 

periods (major food crops)    1

st

 season Jul Sep (N) and Jul Aug (S); 2

nd

 season Nov Dec (N & S)

N

S

DROUGHT/ FLOOD EVENTS

KEY INFORMATION / DECISIONS

FOOD AID OPERATIONS

No

FEWS warns of drought and potential food shortage in

v

eastern parts of the country

 96

96

Dec

J

2

nd

 season rains end across the country. Harvesting

GoU announces

plans to enforce food security laws

an 97

begins with lower than expected yields in many areas (later

(household food storage & cultivation of  famine foods  such as

estimates suggest national cereal production 30% below

cassava)

normal).  Prices of staple foods remain higher than normal for

the time of year.  Normal trade flow of maize to Kenya is

reversed

F

poor pasture conditions in the North & north east,

FEWS Vulnerability Update

 reports some eastern districts

eb 97

& war, continue to erode food security

need monitoring for possible food aid need

FAO/WFP fields first ever Crop & Food Needs

Assessment Mission to Uganda

Ma

below normal rainfall

 over the southern half of the

National Meteorological Service long range forecast

[WFP 6 month emergency plan for 110,000

r 9

country; 

onset of rains delayed

 in the north

predicts delayed and shortened rains for the coming season

conflict displaced people in the northern districts of

7

prices of staple foods remain high, with maize nearly

FEWS Vulnerability Update cautions media reports of

Gulu & Kitgum approved]

double its March 96  nominal price and bean prices at an all 

 famine  are exaggerated

, and urges independent corroboration of

Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare

time high

local / district needs

begins delivering small amounts of food aid to

rains finally begin in the South during last week of

GoU inter ministerial Technical Team

 (including

drought hit eastern districts

 of Kumi & Tororo, in

March

NEWFIS) concludes that 1.2 million people in drought affected

response to local government requests

districts need food aid, seed and farm tools

Food aid logistics hampered by lack of

surplus for local purchase, and backlog at Mombasa

port

Ap

National Meteorological Service now predicts near 

FAO/WFP Mission reports 

341,000 drought affected

WFP 

provides 550 MT of maize meal as

r 9

normal rains extending through June

people in the E & NE  may need food aid till the next harvest (in

immediate help for 92,000 already malnourished

7

addition to 150,000 IDPs & refugees)

people in drought hit  areas (distributed by district

GoU/ WFP/ FAO/ MSF /FEWS joint assessment

 of

authorities in mid April)

drought affected areas in East and North East estimates 800,000

people need food aid due to poor 1996 harvest,  low stocks and

assets, unfavorable terms of trade, & decimation of cassava by

mosaic disease

GoU appeals to donors for food aid 

for 800,000  people

(21 April)

GoU suspends all taxes & levies

 on imports & local

purchases (for relief) of food & seed (until August)

Ma

rainy season established; pasture conditions improve

WFP EMOP 5833

 planned,  to provide food

y 9

in Karamoja region (Kotido & Moroto Districts)

to 612,195 people for 3 months through the Red

7

Cross & churches (due to targeting problems with

earlier local government  distributions). GOU agrees

to cover food needs of  the remaining 188,000

people

J

prolonged dry spell

 threatens maize yields

FEWS Watch warns of serious food shortages in

un 97

Eastern Districts

 as 5 week dry spell brings third successive poor

production season

GoU issues second  Famine Relief Appeal

 for the East

(June 19)

97

Ju

high prices in Uganda continue to draw commercial

EU food assessment mission

 to E & NE Uganda  finds

GoU distributions

 of maize flour & beans

l 9

maize supplies from Kenya

people are coping so far, but recommends 3,000 to 5,000 MT food

to East & North East reported to total 895 MT since

7

aid for 158,000 drought affected vulnerable people for Sep Nov

February

1997

A

poor pastures and unusual pastoralist migration

[WFP initiates food aid request for

ug 97

patterns reported in Karamoja region

continuing assistance to IDPs (202,000 people in

Gulu & Kitgum), including plans for FFW]

S

2

nd

 season rains start 1 to 2  months late

Department of Meteorology forecasts above normal rainfall

[food aid operations continue for IDPs in

ep 97

pasture conditions continue to deteriorate in

through December due to El Nino

North & West]

Karamoja region; migration to dry season grazing starts one

WFP report on drought EMOP (5833)

month early

concludes rations were over spread to large

numbers of people & were therefore  ineffective 

97

Oc

EU pledges nearly 5,000 MT food aid for

t

drought hit areas (not implemented)

No

heavy rain

 in East and West causes flooding,

WFP/ UNICEF/ UNDP/ FEWS/ ICRC joint assessment

 of

WFP provides food for a one off

v

landslides, crop & livestock losses; displacement of people;

flood damage in the East

distribution to flood victims

 in Mbale, Pallisa &

 97

damage to road & rail links

GoU appeals to donors for aid to 100,000 flood and

Tororo Districts (103.4 MT + 3.5 MT UNICEF

pastoralist areas in Karamoja benefit from early

landslide victims

 in Mbale, Tororo, Nebbi and Kabale Districts

biscuits, for 10,000 people for 2 weeks)

green up due to unusual rains

97

Dec

Red Cross distributes WFP food to the

flood displaced in Mbale & Tororo Districts

(Dec/Jan)

J

unusually heavy rains continue

 into early January,

[food aid continues for IDPs,  now

an 98

diminishing later in the month

estimated to total 370,000  people]

cereal and pulse yields reduced by excessive rain

(through water logging, mildew, inability to dry harvested

grain, etc.)

F

Jan/ Feb rainfall still above average, benefiting

[numbers of IDPs increase to 400,000;  only

eb 98

pastoralists and  traditional food security crops  (cassava,

40% pledged of 21,000 MT requested by WFP for

sweet potato and plantain), but  reducing cereal & bean

the displaced; WFP discusses mechanisms for

production

targeting only the most vulnerable with half rations]

Sources:  FEWS Uganda reports, various documents & interviews

A 22