Uganda will receive a contribution of 5 million euros, offered by the European Union (EU), to support the food security of 12.600 people in the Nakivale and Oruchinga refugee camps and 5.400 members of the host communities.

This support includes training on best agricultural practices—such as regenerative agriculture—financial skills for business management and resource growth, and nutritional assistance for pregnant and lactating women.

Uganda is the country in Africa that hosts the most refugees and asylum seekers, receiving 1,9 million people annually. The Ugandan government's national refugee policy allows refugees to work and move freely, but economic opportunities remain scarce in and around the refugee camps.

Consequently, humanitarian aid and development are a lifeline for refugee families seeking to build a self-sufficient life in safety. According to Genevieve Chicoine, acting director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Uganda, empowering refugees in the country to become self-sufficient has never been more important.

He therefore stressed that this EU contribution will enable WFP to support thousands of refugees and host communities with the skills they need to earn a living and put food on the table.

WFP supports 660.000 refugees in Uganda with cash transfers and food assistance, as well as programs to increase self-sufficiency and improve the nutrition of mothers and their children. However, WFP's food assistance programs in the country face critical funding gaps.

In May, the agency was forced to suspend food assistance to nearly a million refugees and reduce food rations for others by an unprecedented 22 percent, never before seen in Uganda.

This initiative is part of the EU Action for Protection, Assistance and Durable Solutions for Displaced Populations in Sub-Saharan Africa (EUPADS).