Government aiding hunger-stricken Karamoja with fast-growing crops.

The government through the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Agricultural Advisory Services has embarked on a seed distribution exercise to provide seedlings to the people of Karamoja.

The seed distribution is meant to facilitate the people of Karamoja to grow their own food and fight hunger in their families.

Currently, 50 percent of the population in Karamoja is faced with food shortage alongside other regions of the Bukedi, Lango, and Acholi subregion with the Busoga subregion coming second in terms of food shortage ranking in the country.

The exercise is jointly being coordinated with the National Agricultural Advisory services NAADs.

This is part of a number of actions from the Government to ensure food security and wealth creation for the people of Karamoja.

Three companies have been contracted by Government to distribute the seedlings.

They comprise Savana seeds, Equator seeds, and Crown seeds. Karamoja has been characterized by high rates of food insecurity and malnutrition.

Ministers of Agriculture, NAADs Executive Director, and members of Parliament first verified the seeds before they were dispatched to the people of Karamoja.

The Minister of State for Agriculture is Hon. Bwino Fred Kyakulaga (MP) says over 800 million has been spent to purchase 90 tonnes of seedlings.