The Ugandan government, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and development partners have begun consultations on a five-year programme aimed at transforming livestock production, strengthening peacebuilding and building resilience in Uganda’s Karamoja sub-region.
The proposed Integrated Livestock Development, Peacebuilding and Resilience Enhancement for Sustainable Livelihoods in Karamoja (ILPRE-Karamoja) programme was unveiled on Friday, August 14, 2026, during a National Consultative Workshop on the Joint Karamoja Programme convened by the IGAD Mission to Uganda in Naguru, Kampala.
The programme is scheduled to run from January 2027 to December 2031.
Presiding over the workshop, Joselyn Bigirwa, Head of the IGAD Mission to Uganda, said ILPRE-Karamoja stems from engagements between IGAD Executive Secretary Dr Workneh Gebeyehu and Gen Salim Saleh, as well as subsequent guidance from the Office of the President.
She said the programme seeks to consolidate and scale up gains made under the IGAD Drylands Strategy and the 14-year Karamoja Integrated Development Programme.
Bigirwa outlined five strategic pillars for the initiative: enhancing livestock productivity; promoting sustainable cross-border management of grazing lands and water resources; preventing conflicts; strengthening market systems; and improving land-use governance.
She also emphasised the deliberate inclusion of women and youth, saying communities should be positioned as active drivers of development rather than passive recipients.
Implementation of the programme will be anchored in national development frameworks, particularly the Karamoja Integrated Development Programme and the Fourth National Development Plan. IGAD will work with Operation Wealth Creation, the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Bigirwa will chair a multi-agency technical steering committee comprising officials from the IGAD Centre for Pastoral Areas and Livestock Development (ICPALD), the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), the Conflict Early Warning and Response Mechanism (CEWARN), as well as experts in monitoring and evaluation, forced displacement and migration, food policy and trade.
The Chairperson of the Karamoja Development Partners Group reaffirmed integrated livestock development, peacebuilding, climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods as key funding priorities.
Development partners were urged to move beyond conventional livestock interventions and invest in animal health, water infrastructure, rangeland management, value addition and market access.
The Chairperson also stressed that peace and social cohesion are essential for communities to access markets, education and health services.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr Edith Namutebi Nsubuga, Head of the Peace and Security Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to stability in Karamoja and other border regions.
She said the Ministry’s mandate includes safeguarding Uganda’s international reputation and promoting regional stability, both of which are critical to achieving Vision 2040.
Namutebi Nsubuga said lasting security and economic transformation are mutually reinforcing.
“Government remains committed to providing an enabling security environment so that development actors can prioritise livelihoods and resilience,” she said.
Reflecting on previous interventions, she noted that although the Karamoja Integrated Development Programme attracted substantial investment, its outcomes pointed to the need for better coordination, sharper prioritisation and stronger accountability.
She called for consolidation around fewer, high-impact interventions and urged stakeholders to follow up on previous feasibility studies conducted by the Ministry of Water and Environment.
She also cited adaptation successes in other arid regions as benchmarks for what could be achieved in Karamoja.
Namutebi Nsubuga identified four immediate priorities: stronger coordination between security and development actors; deliberate mindset change to promote community ownership; accelerated economic empowerment to reduce dependence on aid; and disciplined implementation of the programme within the 2027–2031 timeframe.
Brenda Apio, a Senior Economist at the National Planning Authority, presented the Karamoja Regional Development Plan, which was approved by Cabinet on July 21, 2025.
The 10-year plan seeks to transform Karamoja from a predominantly nomadic and agro-pastoral economy into a settled and commercially viable one by 2035.
The plan responds to challenges highlighted by the 2023/24 National Household Survey, including a poverty rate of 74.2 percent, widespread food insecurity and infrastructure deficits.
Valued at Shs15.1 trillion, the plan proposes flagship investments including Kidepo International Airport, an industrial park and cement plants in Moroto, meat and hides processing facilities in Kotido, and a Karamoja Peace and Technology University.
Other proposals include expanded boarding facilities for universal primary and secondary education, subsidised tertiary tuition for Karimojong students and a dedicated water budget for the sub-region.
Rony Oved, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AgroMax Uganda Ltd, showcased a community-driven development model through the Sustainable Business Development Initiative (SBDI).
Modelled on cooperative and mechanised agriculture, SBDI operates across 11 villages and 370 households in Nakapiripirit District.
Citing Betty Iriama, Treasurer and Lead Artisan of the Tokora Community Association, Oved said that following the conclusion of the Northern Uganda Social Action Fund III (NUSAF III), community members used proceeds from agriculture to rehabilitate tractors and water infrastructure, enabling them to sustain operations without external support.
He said that five years after the project ended, the enterprises remain viable, remunerate members, maintain their assets and continue to attract partnerships.
Oved argued that the experience demonstrates the viability of locally owned institutions when the necessary foundational systems are put in place.
Participants concluded that ILPRE-Karamoja, aligned with the Karamoja Regional Development Plan, provides a framework for transforming the sub-region through productive livestock systems, conflict mitigation and resilient livelihoods.
They, however, stressed that the success of the programme will depend on prioritised and coordinated interventions, strong accountability and meaningful community ownership.
