Sixteen starve to death in Uganda as drought kills crops
At least 16 people have died from starvation in Uganda's Karamoja region following a severe drought that destroyed local crops. The government is currently organizing emergency food aid as experts call for better climate adaptation strategies.
Why it matters
This tragedy underscores the devastating impact of climate change on food security in vulnerable regions and the failure of existing infrastructure to mitigate these risks.
The Ugandan government says at least 16 people have died from hunger in recent weeks in the north-eastern region of Karamoja due to a prolonged drought.
Farmers say they've lost crops because the area received little or no rain since April - the beginning of the planting season.
Experts warn the region's recurring shortages are caused by climate change, poor rainfall, deforestation, overgrazing and crop pests. Together, they leave communities increasingly vulnerable to hunger.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja says thousands of families have been left without food as the dry spell has destroyed crops, and her office is to seek cabinet approval on Monday to buy more supplies for affected areas.
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