Karamoja Resilience Support Unit
The Karamoja Resilience Support Unit (KRSU) was an initiative of USAID/Uganda aimed at increasing resilience and economic development in Karamoja.
The KRSU worked closely with the Karamoja Development Partners Group (KDPG) to provide reviews, assessments and analyses of development and humanitarian programs in Karamoja, and related policy issues, with a focus is on translating evidence and knowledge into practice. The project also provided coordination support to the KDPG and Ministry of Karamoja Affairs, and various regional and district-level bodies in Karamoja.
The project was implemented by the Feinstein International Center, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, at Tufts University, with offices in Kampala and Moroto, Uganda, and ran from 2015 to 2024.
This website archives the KRSU publications covering a range of development and humanitarian issues in Karamoja, during a period when the region experienced COVID-19 restrictions, a return of conflict and humanitarian crisis. The website also provides access to KRSU policy and evidence briefs, the Pastoralism and Policy Training Course, and papers from the international conference Pathways to Resilience in the Karamoja Cluster, held in Moroto in May 2019.
AKLDP Ethiopia
IGAD
IIED
Agrilinks
Future Agricultures Consortium
African Union
Karamoja Development Forum
USAID
Irish Aid
Feed the Future
Papers published in Pastoralism:
Introducing pathways to resilience in the Karamoja Cluster. Andy Catley, Elizabeth Stites, Mesfin Ayele & Raphael Lotira Arasio. Pastoralism volume 11, Article number: 28 (2021)
Commentary: Reflections on resilience in the Karamoja Cluster over 40 years. Darlington Akabwai. Pastoralism volume 11, Article number: 29 (2021)
Friendship, kinship and social risk management strategies among pastoralists in Karamoja, Uganda. Padmini Iyer. Pastoralism volume 11, Article number: 24 (2021)
Sugar industrialization and distress selling of livestock among the Bodi pastoralists in Ethiopia’s lower Omo valley. Fana Gebresenbet. Pastoralism volume 11, Article number: 22 (2021).
Effects of development interventions on pastoral livelihoods in Turkana County, Kenya. Gregory Akall. Pastoralism volume 11, Article number: 23 (2021)
Trauma, loss and other psychosocial drivers of excessive alcohol consumption in Karamoja, Uganda. Padmini Iyer & Elizabeth Stites. Pastoralism volume 11, Article number: 30 (2021)
The role of culture in influencing sexual and reproductive health of pastoral adolescent girls in Karamoja sub-region in Uganda. Stella Achen, Peter Atekyereza & Charles B. Rwabukwali. Pastoralism volume 11, Article number: 25 (2021).
Applying livestock thresholds to examine poverty in Karamoja. Andy Catley & Mesfin Ayele. Pastoralism volume 11, Article number: 27 (2021).
Community engagement in pastoralist areas: Lessons from the public dialogue process for a new refugee settlement in Turkana, Kenya. Cory Rodgers. Pastoralism volume 11, Article number: 26 (2021)

Guidelines for Participatory Water Management and Development in Karamoja
The Guidelines for Participatory Water Management and Development in Karamoja, Uganda, were developed to improve the planning, development, and management of domestic and livestock water sources, using an easy-to-use 3-phase,...

Localized Water and Rangeland Management in Karamoja: Lessons from a participatory review
In 2023 the Karamoja Resilience Support Unit conducted a participatory review of rangeland and water issues and facilities in Karamoja.

Early Warning and Disaster Response in Karamoja: The need to integrate local knowledge and formal systems
A genuine localized approach to early warning should shift the approach to more of a partnership and co-acceptance of the strengths and weaknesses of indigenous and conventional systems.

Karamoja Resilience Support Unit: Turning Evidence Into Action
To gauge understanding of how KRSU’s work benefits and is utilized in Karamoja, a rapid review was conducted in November and December 2023. The review involved face-to-face interviews with a...

Analysis of Educational Approaches in Karamoja
This analysis is motivated by the concerns of international donors and other stakeholders regarding the persistent challenges in advancing educational outcomes for the majority of the population in the Karamoja...

Water and Rangeland in Karamoja
Water and rangeland resources are the basis for livestock production in pastoralist areas of Africa and therefore have major impacts on pastoral livelihoods. Households with insufficient access to water or...

Indigenous Early Warning in Karamoja, Uganda
An effective early warning system (EWS) is a prerequisite for timely response to avert and mitigate the impacts of disasters that affect pastoralist and agro-pastoralist communities. Whereas there exist various...

The 2022 Humanitarian Crisis in Karamoja, Uganda: A real-time review
This real-time review aims to document the events that led to Karamoja’s hunger crisis in 2022, the reporting of the worsening situation by early warning systems, and the responses of...

The 2022 Humanitarian Crisis in Karamoja: Findings from a real-time review
In July 2022 the Ugandan media reported that 900 people had died of hunger or hunger-related diseases in the Karamoja sub-region since February 2022, and that 8 out of 10...

The Return of Conflict in Karamoja, Uganda: Community Perspectives
After nearly 10 years of relative peace, conflict and insecurity returned to the Karamoja sub-region of northeastern Uganda starting in 2019. This assessment investigates this resumption of conflict and insecurity...

Conflict in Karamoja: A Synthesis of Historical and Current Perspectives, 1920-2022
This knowledge synthesis focuses on violent conflict in the Karamoja sub-region of northeastern Uganda. While violence and conflict both can and do take many forms, this synthesis takes as its...

Education in East Africa’s Pastoralist Areas: Why are girls still not going to school?
This briefing paper focuses on education among those pursuing livelihoods as pastoralists and agro-pastoralists, and particularly on the education of girls in those communities.

Educating Girls in Karamoja, Uganda: Barriers, Benefits, and Terms of Inclusion in the Perspectives of Girls, their Communities, and their Teachers
This scoping report investigates barriers, benefits, and “terms of inclusion” for girls’ education in the Karamoja sub-region of Uganda.

Food Security, Nutrition, and Conflict Assessment in Karamoja, Uganda
This report describes the impact of lifting COVID-19 restrictions on rural livelihoods in Karamoja, Uganda.

Fighting alcoholism in Karamoja
The government-directed disarmament within Karamoja has increased peace and security within the region. However, this newfound restfulness has encouraged the introduction of hard liquor to the area, as outside markets...

Livestock in Karamoja: Improving Markets and Veterinary Services
Livestock play a key role in Karamojong livelihoods, but factors ranging from policies and price trends to greater competition and can increase food insecurity and livelihood instability. Livestock disease is...

Improving Practice: Enhancing Pastoralism Policy
Pastoralism plays a key role in many Karamojong livelihoods. However, policies are not designed to aid its sustainability and success, as the sector is often incorrectly viewed as ‘backwards’, uneconomic...

Tackling Malnutrition: Understanding Local Needs and Factors Behind Seasonal Hunger
Malnutrition and stunting have been significant concerns in the East and Horn of Africa for decades – and are now affecting adults as well as children within pastoralist communities. Despite...

Drought Risk Management in Karamoja: Challenges and Opportunities
The Karamoja sub-region in northeast Uganda is a semi-arid area with an economy that is based on livestock production. However, Karamoja is the most food-insecure area of Uganda and has...

Drought Risk Management in Karamoja: A Review of Functionality and Capacity
In the history of Karamoja, drought has been one of the most important types of disaster, with major impacts on livelihoods. For livestock-owning households, drought can push both wealthy and...

Alcohol Consumption, Production and Sale in Karamoja
This brief investigates the changing nature of alcohol production, sale and consumption in Karamoja, Uganda since disarmament.

Gender, Youth and Development in Karamoja: Issues and Opportunities
Livelihood systems in the Karamoja sub-region of northeastern Uganda have undergone substantial changes in the past two decades due to a number of interlinked processes, including disarmament and improved security,...

Livestock in Karamoja, Uganda: The Economic Value of Agropastoral and Pastoral Systems
In 2018, the Karamoja Resilience Support Unit conducted a study to calculate the “direct use” value of livestock in the sub-region.

Rapid Assessment of COVID-19 Impacts in Karamoja, Uganda
This technical report describes the impacts of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions in the Karamoja sub-region of Uganda, based on field assessments in Amudat, Moroto and Abim Districts.

The Productivity and Economic Value of Livestock in Karamoja Sub-Region, Uganda
This report calculates the direct use value of livestock in Karamoja Sub-region, Uganda.

Pastoralism in Uganda: Theory, Practice, and Policy
This textbook is a general reference on pastoralism theory, practice, and policy. It enables students and other readers from various professional backgrounds to understand how pastoralism functions as a system,...

Certification Test Training for Adaptation and Roll-Out of Pastoralism and Policy Course
The Karamoja Resilience Support Unit (KRSU), in partnership with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), commissioned the adaptation and roll-out of the East African Pastoralism and Policy Course...

Fifth Training of Trainers Workshop for Roll-Out of Pastoralism and Policy Course
The Karamoja Resilience Support Unit (KRSU), in partnership with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), commissioned the adaptation and roll-out of the East African Pastoralism and Policy Course...

Fourth Training of Trainers Workshop for Roll-Out of Pastoralism and Policy Course
The Karamoja Resilience Support Unit (KRSU), in partnership with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), commissioned the adaptation and roll-out of the East African Pastoralism and Policy Course...

Third Training of Trainers Workshop for Roll-Out of Pastoralism and Policy Course
The Karamoja Resilience Support Unit (KRSU), in partnership with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), commissioned the adaptation and roll-out of the Pastoralism, Policy and Practice Course. The...

Second Training of Trainers Workshop for Roll-Out of Pastoralism and Policy Course
The Karamoja Resilience Support Unit (KRSU), in partnership with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), commissioned the adaptation and roll-out of the Pastoralism, Policy and Practice Course The...

First Training of Trainers Workshop for Roll-Out of Pastoralism and Policy Course
The Karamoja Resilience Support Unit (KRSU), in partnership with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), commissioned the adaptation and roll-out of the Pastoralism, Policy and Practice Course. KRSU...

Women’s Knowledge on the Seasonality and Root Causes of Child Malnutrition in Karamoja, Uganda
This report describes a participatory analysis of malnutrition in children and mothers in Karamoja, focusing on the seasonality of livelihoods and food availability, and on causes of malnutrition. A key...

Livestock and Poverty in Karamoja: An Analysis of Livestock Ownership, Thresholds, and Policy Implications
In pastoralist and agro-pastoralist households in East Africa, livestock not cash are usually the main financial asset. Animals are sold to buy grain and to meet other domestic needs, and...

The Silent Gun: Changes in Alcohol Production, Sale, and Consumption in Post-Disarmament Karamoja, Uganda
Research and observations over the past decade have pointed to the high prevalence of alcohol use in Karamoja. Brews made locally of sorghum and maize have sociocultural, nutritional, and economic...

Agriculture in Karamoja: The Need for Integrated Livestock-Crop Development
This Policy Brief explores the role of agriculture in Karamoja’s development, and in particular, the need to support balanced and integrated livestock-crop strategies.

Livestock Trade Dynamics in Karamoja: Trends in Market Activity and Policy Issues
In early 2016, a detailed report on livestock marketing in Karamoja, Uganda was published by the USAID/East Africa Resilience Learning Project, and described a dynamic trade and supply of livestock...

Agricultural Development in Karamoja, Uganda: Recent Trends in Livestock and Crop Systems, and Resilience Impacts
This report is a review of agricultural development trends in the Karamoja sub-region of northeast Uganda. The review was conducted in early 2018, and involved consultations, interviews, and workshops in...

Livestock Trade in Karamoja, Uganda: An Update of Market Dynamics and Trends
In early 2016, a detailed report on livestock marketing in Karamoja, Uganda was published by the USAID/East Africa Resilience Learning Project, and described a dynamic trade and supply of livestock...

Karamoja Donors Mapping Report 2018
This report summarizes planned humanitarian and development activities of nine bilateral donors in the Karamoja sub-region in 2018. The donors have allocated over US$75 million, which is approximately 270 billion...

Pastoralist and Livestock Development in Karamoja, Uganda
This review examines regional policies and programming initiatives in East Africa and the Horn of Africa related to pastoral areas development, and their relevance to the Karamoja Region of Uganda....

Looking for Work: Wage Labor and Migration in Karamoja
In a rapidly changing Karamoja, wage labor and employment have become increasingly important as more people look for work in urban and peri-urban centers in the region, elsewhere in Uganda,...

Financial Services in Karamoja
This report presents the findings of a rapid review of financial services in Karamoja, Uganda, conducted in May and June 2017. The review is an initial exploratory and rapid assessment...

Supporting Animal Health in Karamoja
The Karamoja region of Uganda has made notable progress in some aspects of veterinary service development and disease control during the last 20 years. Uganda has shown clear commitment to...

Veterinary Services in Karamoja, Uganda
The Karamoja sub-region in northern Uganda is characterized by agropastoralist and pastoralist livelihood systems, with a reliance on livestock for human food and nutrition, income, and social capital. Livestock disease...

Karamoja Donors Mapping Report
The Karamoja Development Partners Group (KDPG) is made up of donors and UN agencies working in the Karamoja sub-region. Key objectives include enhancing dialogue between development partners and the Government...

Karamoja NGO Mapping Report
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) play a critical role in the provision of development programming in Karamoja. Of the 46 projects currently being supported by bi-lateral donors, 22 are being implemented by...

Livestock for Livelihoods: Priorities for Livestock Development in Karamoja, Uganda
Many areas of East Africa are responding to growing demands for livestock products, from both within the region and internationally. In Ethiopia and Kenya, pastoralist and agropastoralist producers supply most...

Livestock in Karamoja: A Review of Recent Literature
Karamoja is situated in the northeast part of Uganda. Livestock production is the dominant livelihood system, followed by more risky crop farming. The region encompasses five livelihood zones and three...

“We now have relative peace”: Changing Conflict Dynamics in Northern Karamoja, Uganda
This study provides a nuanced understanding of the transformation of violence for women, men, girls and boys in northern Karamoja at the household, community, district and the regional levels. Drivers of...

Life in Town: Migration from rural Karamoja to Moroto and Mbale
Migration from rural Karamoja to towns, cities and other rural areas has long been part of local livelihood strategies, but attention to this phenomenon by national and international actors in...

Foraging and Fighting Community Perspectives on Natural Resources and Conflict in Southern Karamoja
This report presents the findings of research examining the intersection between natural resources and conflict in southern Karamoja, Uganda, from the perspective of local communities. The study and report are...

Angering Akuju Survival and Suffering in Karamoja
Karamoja is the poorest and least developed region of Uganda. The population experiences chronic food insecurity, little access to basic services, the weakening of traditional livelihood systems, ongoing insecurity, human...

Out-migration, Return, and Resettlement in Karamoja, Uganda The case of Kobulin, Bokora County
As part of a larger project entitled “Livelihoods and Human Security in Karamoja,” this briefing paper presents findings on causal factors and broad patterns in out-migration among the Bokora population....

Pastoralist Community Harmonization in the Karamoja Cluster
This review takes an objective look at the recent activities of IBAR related to conflict management in pastoralist areas and puts them in the context of what others are doing in the region and globally.
Pathways to Resilience in the Karamoja Cluster
A regional conference on recent research and policy options
21-23 May 2019, Moroto, Karamoja, Uganda
The Karamoja Resilience Support Unit (KRSU) organized an international conference to take stock of recent research in Karamoja, northwest Kenya, and neighbouring areas of South Sudan and Ethiopia, and to draw out lessons for policy and programming.
The conference was an opportunity for critical reflection on the different pathways to resilience in the “Karamoja Cluster,” shared new learning from the dynamics of change and innovation happening in these areas, and to promoted dialogue on policy options at regional, national and local levels.
The KRSU used the conference as a platform for researchers from Uganda, Kenya, South Sudan and South Omo, Ethiopia to present their research, alongside international researchers.
Working Papers
Livestock and Livelihoods
Trends in Livelihood Systems and Livestock Markets in Karamoja
Yacob Aklilu
Reconsidering the Livestock Value Chain in Dryland Areas for Resilience Building
Shuaib Lwas, William Obonyo Otoke, Stephen Kodet, Josephat Aryatwijuka
Distress Sell of Cattle by the Bodi
Fana Gebresenbet
Livestock, Wealth and Poverty in Karamoja
Mesfin Ayelea, Andy Catley
Peace and Conflict
Understanding Competing Narratives on Karamoja’s Borders
Frank Emmanuel Muhereza
Gender Dynamics and Water Conflicts in Community Boreholes in Turkana County
Caroline Wandiri Mwea, Linnet Hamasi Henry
Women’s Knowledge Systems and Peace Building Among the Pastoral Communities of Northern Kenya
Linnet Hamasia, James Nyawo
Pathways from Peace to Resilience: Examples from Karamoja and the Greater Horn of Africa
Sylvester Abara, David Gatare
Mobility, Land and Water
Green Water and Livestock Mobility in Karamoja
Benon B Nabaasa, Shuaib Lwasa
The Cosmo-Politics of a Land Deal at the Kalobeyei Refugee Settlement in Turkana, Kenya
Cory Rodgers
Appreciative Inquiry to Traditional Land Administration in Karamoja, Uganda
Lena Godfrey Lokwang Apaloryonokodos, Lolem Francis Apakaetokos, Lomonyang Simon Adingili
Resilience, Risk and Change
Friendship, Kinship, and Social Risk Management Strategies Among Pastoralists in Karamoja
Padmini Iyer
An Ordinary Language Survey of Notions of Resilience in Ngakaramojong
Angella Godfrey, Julian Hopwood, Keem Stella, Kanyipa Ibrahim, Ryan O’Byrne, Sagal Ivan Ambrose, Nangiro Saum
Diversified Livelihoods
Changing Landscapes and Livelihoods in Turkana County, Kenya
Gregory Akall
Experiences of Rural-Urban Migration in Northern Karamoja, Uganda
Elizabeth Stites
Livestock-Centered Diversification and Livelihood Recovery in Post-Disarmament Karamoja
Frank Emmanuel Muhereza
Human Nutrition
Determinants of Children’s Malnutrition in Nadunget and Namalu Sub-Counties in Karamoja, Northern Uganda
M. Gracia Glas, Dirk Ullerich, Irmgard Jordan
Understanding the Causes and Seasonality of Malnutrition in Karamoja
Andy Catley, Raphael Lotira, Charles Hopkins
Enablers, Difficulties and Hindrances of Nutrition Recommendations Applications in Nadunget Sub-County
Tina Koch, Gudrun Stallkamp, Gracia M. Glas, Irmgard Jordan
Using Creative Research Methodologies to Understand Adolescent Nutrition Realities in Kenya and Uganda
Theresa Jones, Manaan Mumma, Mary Namanda, Juliet Bedford
Key Barriers and Enablers of Consumption of Animal Source Foods by Women in Four Districts of Southern Karamoja, Uganda
Gudrun Stallkamp, Rebecca Oketcho, Paul Troy
Energy and Extractives
Energy Economics, Climate Change and Renewables in East African Drylands
Immo Eulenberger
Digging for Power: A Research into Women’s Experience of Extractive Industries Development in Karamoja
Alexia Falisse, Romain Ravet, and Liliane Umubyeyi
Programming Experiences
Building a Culture of Adaptive Management: Cases from Northern Uganda
Melaku Yirga
The Role of Disaster Risk Financing in Building Resilience of Poor Communities in Karamoja
Celestine Katongole, Herbert Akampwera, Robert Lim Lim, Stella Nagujja