Food Shortages Push Kotido Families to Seasonal Farm Work in Teso and Acholi

By Richard Onapatum

Kotido, Uganda — Before sunrise over the dry plains of Kotido District, women clutching hoes and small bundles begin their long journey out of the district. Some walk with children strapped to their backs, others holding small hands, a few boarding cars as they head toward the fertile potato and cassava fields of Teso and Acholi. For many families, the seasonal harvest has become a crucial source of food as shortages persist at home.

Seasonal migration for farm labour has long been a coping mechanism for households in Kotido, but this year the movement has intensified. Poor harvests, prolonged dry spells, and rising food insecurity have pushed more families—mostly women with children—to seek work digging, harvesting, and transporting potatoes in exchange for food rather than cash.

In the fields of Teso and Acholi, payment often comes in sacks of potatoes, enough to feed a household for several weeks. The arrangement, while informal, offers immediate relief to families struggling to bridge the gap between planting and harvest seasons.

“It is a survival strategy,” says Irar Peter Abrahams, the Mayor of Kotido Municipality. “Families walk long distances to help with harvests, and in return they bring home food. Without it, many children would go hungry.”

However, health and nutrition experts caution that the practice also reflects deeper structural challenges. Kotido, like much of Karamoja, remains vulnerable to erratic rainfall, frequent droughts, and low agricultural yields. These conditions continue to drive seasonal migration and contribute to persistent malnutrition among children.

Security and community leaders warn that the journeys expose families—especially women and children—to exploitation. According to ASP Narusha Kalisto, the regional community liason officer some residents take on plantation work without guarantees of safety or fair treatment.

“Labour-for-food arrangements help families survive in the short term,” he says. “But long-term interventions such as irrigation, drought-resistant crops, and community food reserves are essential to reduce repeated dependence on seasonal migration.”

Concerned by the growing movement, leaders in Rengen Sub-county have resolved to hold mass community dialogues to caution residents against moving in large numbers to neighboring regions in search of casual labour and food. In recent weeks, the district has recorded increased movement—mainly of women with children—to Abim, Lango, Acholi, and Teso.

The Rengen LCIII Chairperson, Elijah Lobur Lokoribok, says many people move without clearance from local authorities, making it difficult to track and protect them. He warns that some migrants are lured by perceived opportunities but end up exploited, particularly women and children working on plantations.

To address the challenge, Lokoribok says the community dialogues are being conducted in collaboration with district leaders to sensitize residents about the risks involved and to encourage families to settle and invest in agriculture as a more sustainable livelihood.

At the district level, leaders are calling for coordinated support to strengthen local food systems. Lotee Paul Komol, the Kotido LCV Chairperson, praised the resilience of local communities and emphasized the need for long-term solutions.

“Our people are hardworking and resourceful,” he says. “With support from government and development partners, we can improve agricultural production, increase yields, and reduce the need for families to travel long distances in search of food.”

For returnees like Maria Nakong, the decision to migrate is driven by necessity rather than choice. Speaking after returning to Kotido, she says families move mainly to secure food that helps them survive through the planting season.

“We go to look for food,” she says quietly. “It helps us sustain our families until the next harvest.”

As potato harvesting continues in Teso and Acholi, Kotido families are expected to keep relying on seasonal farm work. But local leaders warn that unless investments in irrigation, climate-resilient agriculture, and food security are accelerated, hunger-driven migration will remain a recurring reality.