Alcohol consumption in Karamoja, Uganda’s pastoralist-dominated northeastern region, is a well-known and frequently discussed phenomenon in the policy and practice space.
An emerging trend in alcohol use that has become a cause for concern among health officials, development practitioners and, especially, community members themselves is the rise in consumption of hard spirits.
Reportedly, its consumption has had visible effects on household economy, interpersonal relationships, and the health and wellbeing of the communities.
This briefing paper presents the main findings and key recommendations from a study carried out by the Karamoja Resilience Support Unit (KRSU) in 2018.
The study investigated the changing nature of alcohol production, sale and consumption in Karamoja since disarmament. It also examined the structural drivers of alcohol production and consumption and the effects on household economy, interpersonal relationships and health.
